Halo Combat evolved: Ruby Rose new Journey
by Bacara Best Clone Commander
Summary: A young Huntress ends up on the piller of autumn, now she has to learn about the universe she will make New friends, new enemies and a nightmare. It will take everything she has to survive and make her way through The Human-covenant war.
1. Chapter 1

**Pill** **ar of Autumn**.

"Ah...Hi."

At a place a teenage girl known as Ruby Rose had her hands up, she did not know were she was right now. along with people in armor that she never seen before, she assumed they must be Atlas military maybe a special unit or something since they don't look like the ones she seen before and right now those soldiers were aiming weapons at her.

One of the said soldiers walks up to her gun raised aimed at her.."alright you, who are you what's your name?."

Ruby decided it be best to answer him "Names Ruby, Ruby Rose nice to meet you." She says with a nervous smile.

"Alright Ruby Rose how did get here without being spotted?." The soldier questioned her still not lowering his weapon.

"Well...I'm not sure really but I'm sorry if I ended up in a Atlas territory." She says hoping they would accept that.

One of the Marine's tilted his head confused. "Atlas? What what the hell is a atlas?."

Now Ruby was confused now. "Ah. Aren't you people atlas military or something?."

Ruby was now more confused since she's with some kind of military she has no idea about, she wondered who are these guys then? If there not the atlas military she knows well.

One marine answers her. Breaking her out of her train of thought. "No were the UNSC kid."

Ruby looks at the marine that answers her he had dark skin, facial hair, and wore similer armor to the other marines but was wearing a cape instead of a helmet she assumed he must be in charge of these guys.

Ruby decided to start up a talk with him maybe she could get some answers. "Ah ok...what's a UNSC I kinda never heard of it. And also were am i?."

The said marine that was a Sargent looks at her for a wile the two stared at each other in silence till the marine broke it. "You really don't know we're you are?." Ruby nodded yes to that she dose not know. "And you really don't know what the unsc is as well?." As he asked that she yet again nodded.

The Sargent thought about this. How could this girl not know about the unsc or how she got on board there ship it was confusing and he wounder did this girl hit herself on the head or something.

Regardless he decided to explain things to her. "It's also known as the **United Nations Space Command** , but for short we call our military the unsc. As for were you are your on the pillar of autumn a ship that's drifting in space."

Ruby had a surprised look on her face then." Space ship... **..I'M ON A SPACE SHIP!".** she yelled loudly making some of the marines jump back in shock of her loud yell of surpise and excitement.

One of the Marines walks up to the Sarge. "Sir is this girl serious? I think she might be lying. Or was hit on the head very hard at least by a Elite."

The Sargent crossed his arms. "Maybe I'm not sure but I'll contact the Captain on this."

As he was about to contact his superior a alarm was heard, Ruby saw all the Marines were getting ready for something and then she heard a voice on the speakers." Attantion all combat personnel: please report to your action stations."

Sarge had a very serious look then smirked. "So the basterds are here. Well time to give them a good greeting.".

Ruby was once again confused at this and she has many questions still. But she knew by the sounds of things something bad was going to happen soon.

* * *

At a Covenant ship known as the _Truth and Reconciliation_ in charge of the ship was a Elite known as Lat 'Ravamee. And he was looking at the Piller of autumn he was looking at the ship he was glaring at it since it was heading to one of the sacred rings.

The shipmaster Lat 'Ravamee turned to a elite General next to him. "You will lead a boarding party in that human ship kill everyone aboard but don't kill the higher ups humans they could have useful info so take there superiors alive."

The Yellowed armored elite nodded to his superior then leaves with two elite ultras following behind him to go on his mission and to go with the boarding party leaving the Elite shipmaster who was looking at the sacred ring one of the very things rings the covenant has bin searching for when he and He found himself nearly overcome with joy at the sight of it. But he first had to deal with these human vermen the bane of the great jearny.

A Elite ultra walks up to the shimaster he had a question. "Shimaster but what if the boarding party fails?."

"Then we fire apon that ship with everything we have." The Shipmaster replies simply to his subordinate as he sat in his Anti-gravity chair as the elite nodded and returned back to his post as the ship master watched the boarding party be launched.

* * *

Back on the piller of autumn every marine was getting ready as

"Hey are we being attacked? If so by who?."

Ruby might be new here but she new here but she knew when's with the Marines getting ready it means a battle was about to happen.

"What's attacking us are alien basterds known as the covenant." He replies to Ruby.

"Cova-what? And also Aliens?." Yet again Ruby was kinda surprised first she found out she was on a space ship now she found out that aliens are real as well.

"Ruby I'll tell you more latter I need to have a word with my men." He says as he walks and yet again ruby fallowed him since she dose not know we're else to go right now she saw marines were lining up now as the Sargent speaks up. "Men, we led those dumb bugs out to the middle of nowhere to keep them from getting their filthy claws on Earth. But we stumbled onto somethin' they're so hot for that they're scrambling over each other to get it. Well, I don't care if it's God's own anti-son-of-a-bitch machine or a giant hula hoop, we're not gonna let 'em have it! What we will let them have is a belly full of lead and a pool of their own blood to drown in AM I RIGHT MARINES!?"

SIR YES SIR!." they all replied to him.

"Uh-huh. Damn right, I am. Now move it out! Double time!"" With that the Marines did and ran out." "All you greenhorns who wanted to see Covenant up close... this is your lucky day."

Ruby was really impressed by his speach to his marines it really seemed to expire them ." Hey Sargent can I help also what's your name?." Ruby asked him since after all she dose want to know some people here.

"Names Johnson kid." He then turns to her." and even if I decide to let you help out what can you do to help out with aliens." He asked her.

Ruby smiled wide then as she takes out her weapon she has with her as she pressed something on it and it turned into a large syth johnson looked at it impress.

"This is my weapon Crescent Rose I made it myself." she then pumps it and a loading sound was heard." Oh and it's also a gun."

Johnson was impressed he knows weapons well and if she could make a weapon like that herself she must be skilled then, he also saw she seemed to know how to handle it as well so he made up his mind then.

"Fine you can help out." He says giving his answer reason he can tell she's skilled that and they need all the help they can get right now. With that both ruby and Johnson go then and it's the start of a jearny that will change Ruby Rose forever and hopefully find a way back home.

* * *

 **author note: Hey well this is my attamp at a halo and RWBY crossover fanfic hope you people enjoy it.**


	2. Chapter 2

Ruby Walks with Sargent Johnson who takes her to one of the armories of the ship as they head there Ruby was still thinking on how she got there but before she could think on she heard johnson pressed a button when they got to the armory and then walks in. As they walk in Ruby saw a marine uniforms in different sizes, he takes one off and it looked like the right size for ruby.

"Put this on." Johnson ordered, as he looks out the armory incase any covenant were near.

Ruby holds the armor in front of her for a wile. "Ah why? I never wore armor in battle before." Ruby tells him as she holds the armor still wile putting down her syth.

"Ruby, I don't know what your world is like of whatever it's called, but trust me just put it on it will help against plasma."

Looks at sargenta Johnson a little confused. "Plasma? What's that?"

The Sargent let's out a sigh then, wile putting a hand on his forehead as he began to explain. "Oh for Fucks sake you dont even know what plasma is. Alright Ruby listen I'm only going to explain this to you one, plasma is very dangrous weapon the covanent use they can cause third-degree burns, this type of injury destroys the outer layer of skin and the entire layer beneath; the wound is cauterized instantly upon impact. Body fluids would be subjected to flash vaporization so in other words if it hits you and you don't have the proper armor well let's say your screwed."

Ruby, now understanding shivered a little that kinda sounded nasty and painfull, so she decided to put on the armor...but she looks at the Sargent.

"Ok...but...can I keep my cape when I were this." Ruby asked him with her smile.

Normally Johnson would say no. but right now he didn't have time to argue with her to tell her now. "Fine you can keep now. NOW HURRY UP AND GET THE ARMOR ON!"

Ruby jumps at his suddem shouting saluted a little scared. "SIR YES SIR!" as with that she goes to the back of the armory to put it on.

"Kids." Johnson said with a eye roll.

Then he heard banging on the door and saw some dents on it. Johnson knew what was coming as he gets a assist rifle and he aims at the door. "Come on you basterds come get some." And with that the door was blown off and johnson saw four Grunts come through the destroyed door and one elite and judging by its whote armor it was a elite ultra.

"There human!" A Grunt yelled pointing to Johnson, but before he could do anything Johnson fired at the grunt rattling with bullets killing him, the other grunts fired at Johnson as the elite fired at him along with them, Johnson was behind cover do avoid being his by the plasma being fired at him.

One of the Grunts walked down then around he was planning to flank the Sargent by going behind him. Unkown to him he was going were ruby rose is as he goes forther down he heard a grunt so he stops and lisens.

"Oh come on!" The Grunt heard the young voice that belonged to Ruby, he decided to get his plasma pistole ready as he walks slowly into the area were he heard the voice.

As for ruby she was getting the armor on, But some parts to her were kinda tricky to put on as she was now getting her cape on now the back of it.

The Grunt got to Ruby, he saw her and so with that he aimed his Plasma pistol at The young girl.

"Nighty night human" the Grunt says in his language, aiming still and chuckling silintly.

Ruby got the last of the gear on then and stans up straight "there that should do" as she was about to go she heard something charging, she turns to see a small alien, she saw its laser glowing zhe stared for a aile till he fired.

"Oh crap!" Ruby shouts.

As the laser comes to her she avoids it by rolling out the way fast, she then runs at the Grunt and dose jump flying kick to it sending it flying back when her kick collided with it's face making it crash into the metal wall knocking it out.

Ruby looks at the Grunt "So. This is a covanent these guys fight?" She looks at the aliens gear. she found most of it interesting as she picks up the plasma pistole and takes a close look at it...but then the Grunt woke up and sees Ruby.

The Grunt had wide eyes then "AHHHHH!" He screams and jumps up, in fear and being despret right now the Grunt takes out two plasma Granades "DIE!" the grunt yells.

Ruby had wide eyes as she runs away from the suicidal Grunt fast as it explodes killing itself but failing to kill Ruby who was looking at the spot the Grunt used to be in shock. Nothing remind of the Grunt but a blue blooded mess.

With Johnson he manage to kill all of the grunts but they were still one elite left and he was firing his Concussion Rifle that was firing heavy bolts of superheated plasma at the area Johnson was taking cover at.

Johnson reloads another clip into his assult rifle as he sighs "OK this guy going to be a problem" he says to himself as he makes a run for it wile avoiding the shots from the ultra as he fires at the Elite. The Ultras shields were to strong that the Assult Rifle was barley damaging the sheilds, the ultra then fires near Johnson who avoids the blast but it'd force sent him in the air and made him land "Damn it" he curses, but then before he could get up he saw above him the Ultra was aiming his Rifle at him. The elite looks at the Sargent for a wile taking his time to enjoy this and the Sargent notice this and showed no fear "oh come in what are you waiting for you split jawed bastered!? Waiting for me to beg? Well shame for you I don't do that"

Before the ultra fired to kill the sargent, a female voice was heard "JOHNSON!"

The elite turns to were he heard were it came from only to be Recive 3 shots from Ruby who was shooting her Crescent Rose. The shots were enough to make his shields go down, Ruby then runs up and dilivers a strong kick to the ultra''s Chest sending him stumbling back and dropping his weapon as he looks at the Teenage girl who was standing in front of the Sargent defendinghim.

Ruby glared at the elite "Hey you stay away from The Johnson! He's so far the only friend I made on this ship" The Elite looks at her for a wile but he then takes out another weapon and activated it it was a energy sword. Ruby could not help But look how cool it looks but she shakes it off she had no time to be intrested in the weapon of this Armored alien as the two glared at one another.

Johnson then gets up as he was holding his wound "Ruby be careful this is a elite ultra. They have heavy shields and thicker armor then a minor and a Elite major there deadly foes"

Ruby nodded, even though she has no idea of what a elite minor or major is "Got it"

* * *

at another part of the Pillar of autumn

A group if marines were pinned down. They were being fired at from all sides wile in cover from the Covenant Boarding parties they were relentless in there slaughter of everyone in the ship.

One marine panicked "We're dead! were all Fucking dead!"

A marine next to him grabbed his Coller and looks at him annoyed "Shut it! If we're going to die Fine! But have the balls to accept it with dignity!" He then let's the marine go gets out of his cover for a second and fired his assult rifle at the alien threats. But a Elite manage to get a lucky shot, shot the marine in the shoulder making him grunt in pain and held his wound.

"Well got to say if we're going out" a female marine says as she smirked "I get to go out taking some of these freaks with me!"

Before someone could reply to her they heard some explosions of human made granades going off killing a large portain of the alien threat, along with gunfire that killed the remaining enemy till there was silance one looked to who the one who could have saved them is. Only to see no one was there.

"Who did that?" He asked before he felt the ship shake along with hearing the captain on the speakersame telling everyone to abadon ship.

One marine thinks and got a idea "I think I know who, but we got no time to waste! we need to get to the Escape pods"

With that the Marines left the area to head to the escape pods as for there savior he was going his own way.

"You certainly do know how to handle these types of situations Chief" the A-I known as cortana said complamanting the spartan.

"I know" Chief replies to his companion as he reloads his rifle as he felt the ship shake when another boarding craft Hits the ship.

* * *

Back at the armory

the Ultra and Ruby crossed blades then the Ruby using her syth to block the elites energy sword. The elite was a skilled fighter and he had a fighting pattern Ruby Rose has not seen before so this was kinda tricky.

As for Johnson he was watching this, Sure he could help right now but he wanted to see what this Teenager could do if she is tuff enough to take on a Elite and if the elite gets the upper hand he will come in to assits her.

The Elite ultra tried to Slice Ruby''s legs off when he slashed his sword at her feet but Ruby jumps avoiding it and she dilivers a string hit to the elites helmet with the hilt of Crescent Rose makinh his dazed, cracking the left eye area of his helmet that it and exposing it's eye true eyes and looks at her. Ruby saw true hate from that eye she could see it.

Ruby Decided to try to reason with the elite, since if it has these advanced weapons it must be smart. but before she could say anything the elite suddenly turned invisible surprising Ruby who looks left and right.

"What the he Vanished!" Ruby said still kinda surpised.

"Wrong ruby he's cloa- DUCK!" he suddenly yells.

Ruby Then ducks in time before the elite could deliver a killing blow to her. She then rolled and she saw the elite raise its sword to kill her when he unclocked, Johnsom was about to shoot it to help Ruby till he heard a blast he looks to see that the ultra now had a large hole in his chest.

Ruby was shaking now she did not mean to do that she did that on reflax "Wha-what did I J-Just d-do" she stutters as she watched the elites body fall down dead making a thud noise as Purple blood was leaking onto the metal floor.

"You did what you had to" johnson said catching her attantion.

Ruby looks at him as some tear's were beginning to fall from her eyes "wh-what bu-but I killed him i-"

Johnson cuts her off then and puts a hand on her shoulder "Ruby, That Elite you killed deserved it, like all the others Covenant plus...they done a lot of horrible stuff to deserve any mercy"

Ruby looks at him wile wiping some of her tears away, then she asked him "why?"

Johnson then looks her in the eyes wile he explains it her "So many to list but...I'll tell you some they glassed City's filled with millions of innocent's without mercy, they killed who knows how many members of the human race and there determined to commit genocide to wipe us all out" Johnson looks at ruby who was still thinking on all this.

"I...I don't know if I can kill...I never killed before only thing I killed before were Grimm and that's about it" Ruby tells him as she looks at the dead Ultra elite body.

Johnson nodded in understandind, Well sorta since he has no idea what a Grimm is at all "Ruby the first kill always the hardest. But in war...you will half to get used to it since in war...the enemy will always shoot to kill. Ruby I I'm sorry that I half to put this much preasure on you but there's not much of a choice" he then stands up taking his hand of her shoulder.

Then the voice of the captain was heard on the speaker "all UNSC personal abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

"Well looks like we half to leave this party" he then turns to Ruby" come one let's go"

Ruby stands up then and picks up her weapon "OK Sargent Johnson I'm ready. Lead the way"

The marine sargent and Ruby then headed out the armory then and met up with a group of marines on the way they.

One marine saluted "Sir!"

Johnson dismissed him right now "At ease Marine. Now let's go ee need to get to a escape pod and fast!"

Without a word they agreed and runs then to get to a escape pod as ruby was thinking about the events that happened today.

* * *

at the Covenant ship known as the Truth and Reconciliation 

The Ship master was watching as the boarding party he sent to the piller of autumn was going well, he feels this human ship like all others will fall from the might of his forces as his ships canons were damaging the unsc ship as well.

A elite walks up to his superior "Shipmaster. The boarding party has successfully killed lots of Vermin on that wreched ship!"

Shipmaster Lat 'Ravamee was pleased with this "Good. this is to easy"

The Subordinate elite went back to his post then, his bisness with his superior finished he now went back to one of the controls.

* * *

Back at the piller of Autumn

The marines and Ruby near the Escape pods area, But we're pind Down by a large group of Covenant that were blocking there way to the pods leading to a fire fight.

Johnson looks at his men wIle he has a granadeready "Come on Men were not dying here" with that said he throws it at then of course it kills a large portion of the grunts, it lowered most of the elites sheilds and the marines then returned fire on them killing most of them.

"Ill help to!" Ruby says as she aims at a elite that was shooting at them she was hasitant at first, But she remembered what Johnson said as she takes a deep breath and then she fired the shot hits the elite Minor in the head blowing a Chunk of his head off and sending it's blood flying onto the wall killing the Alien instincly killing.

One marine saw this then smiled "Wow! Nice shot kid"

Ruby looks at said marine "ah thanks...still I'm not used to this..."

"Don't worry you willget used to it" Johnson says as he shoots what's left of the Aliens.

Soon what was left of the Covenant forces were gunned down leaving a clear way for the escape pod, the Marines then run to it along with ruby who was the last to get in.

As they all got in Johnson turned to ruby "Ruby press that botton!"

Ruby nodded "on it!"

Ruby pressed the botton and the door to the pod was closing...but then 3 Blue plasma bolts came at her and hitted Ruby they went throw her chest plate hitting fleash Ruby fall down then.

"KID!" a marine yelled as he looks to who shot her.

He saw a Spec ops elite that Unclocked But before the marine could fire at the stealth elite the pods doors closed all the way and the pod lounched then along with others that were lounchef out the ship.

Johnson goes to Ruby who was holding her chest.

"Ruby! Stay still we need to see how much damage the plasma did" Johnson says as he told a marine to come.

"OK let me see" the marine said as he walks up out of his seat.

Ruby looks at the marine that moved her hands "What is-AH!" She yelps as she felt the marine touch them.

"Strange?" The marine medic said confused since he did not feel any deep wounds on her."Normally plasma dose more damage to organic skin" he then looms at the 3 places that the plasma bolts hit her and he saw they were only one digree burns "One digree burns?" He was now truly surprised.

"Everyone hang onto something" the pilot of the pod warns" since we're going to land on something soon!" He says as they were heading to what appears to be a giant ring.

"What the heck is that?" One marine suddenly says.

"I don't know but we're going to land on it" the pilot replies.

As for Ruby she looks at the Ring, she wonders what that thing was truly she really never seen something like it at all as she was so curious she forgot about her first digree burns right now.

Johnson then looks at ruby and yells at her "RUBY GET INTO YOUR SEAT!"

That made Ruby snap out of it as she headed to the seat as the pod flies towards the Mysterious ring they were coming in hot as they entered the rings atmosphere as they entered it heading towards a area of the rings. But unknown to her she will cross paths with a super soldier soon that was in another pod.

* * *

 **Note: Well here's Chapter two! Hope it's enjoyable.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Halo**

* * *

Ruby was holding onto something tight along with the other marines. They entered the ring and when they entered it there was a environment. As for the pilot of the escape pod he was doing his best right now but they were coming in to fast and some of the pod was starting to break apart

The pilot turned around and gave a warning to everyone "EVERYONE BRACE FOR IMPACT!"

Everyone did as the pilot said, they held on tight ad the pod began to shake and some parts of it that were flying off then they crashed hard into the dirt of the unknown area shaking the pod harder and lots of the crew till it stops movie.

As Johnson shakes his head he was dazed a little but he calls out to everyone "Is everyone alright!?"

All the Marines that survived all replied to the him.

Ruby then calls out to "I'm alright to Sir." Ruby said but then she looks next to her to see the marine next to her had his eyes close so she shakes hIm a little "Hey we made it you can wake up."

When Ruby did that the Marine did not move or say a thing and Ruby had wide eyes when since she knew.

"He's dead Ruby." Ruby turns to Johnson who was Behind her "Not everyone can survive these kinds of crashes" He says as he takes the Dead marine Dog tags.

"...How many...Survived this...Crash?." Ruby asked Johnson now shaking a little as she saw some of the dead marines now.

One marine did a count and he sighs. he looks at Ruby and tells her the what she wanted to know "Six...that's all that survived the crash and twonty are dead, including the pilot." The Marine said as he looks at the slouch body of the lifeboat pliot.

Ruby was thinking on all this, She knew when she would become a full on huntress who would see stuff like this a lot. But now that she's seeing all right now dead bodies, hearing about genocide from alien's along with being in a military now...all was really surpsing for her.

"A Sarge you might want to look at this" A marine outside the pod said calling the Sargent to see what he's seeing right now.

The surviving crew along with a distraught Ruby walks out the pod. When they got out they saw stuff that amazed them they saw structure's they never seen before sure Johnson and the Marines saw covenant structure before but this was not it as for Ruby she was looking at it a lot even walked to it and puts her hand on it to feel it.

"What is this Sargen?" Ruby asked wile curious on the unknown structure.

The Sargent still looking at the structers around the place and looks at the tallest one that they could use "Not sure kid...but we better get ready soon the Covenant will be apon us soon" he looks at Ruby and then two marines and points to them "Ruby you and those two will go up there" he says as he points to the high ground on the high structure that had a metal ramp on it to climb up and down on "you can fire apon them from the high ground get better range if they decide to use the other structures for cover"

"Right sir" The two marines say as they head off to the highest structure there Sargent ordered them to go.

As for Ruby. She was standing still, thinking she looks at the pod...that had the dead marines then at the structure she let's out a sigh as she pumps her weapon as she goes up to the high structure to have the high ground as she got to walking up the metal ramp.

As for Johnson he was on the ground with the remaining three of his troopers as he walks to them as he walks to them.

"Are you all ready men?" He asked them as they nodded "good"

* * *

At another pod that crashed all crew on board it were dead but one who walks out of it as he walks out and looks around the area he's in. Master Chief then picks up a assult rifle and then a pistol he puts to the side.

The A-I cortana had alerts up as she detacted something "Warning. I detected multiple covenant drop ships incoming. I suggest going into those hills, if we're lucky the covenant will believe that everyone aboard this lifeboat died in the crash"

Chief understood this as he leaves then but he saw one dead marines eyes were wide open it was a female marine Chief decided to close them. With that he then leaves as he crosses the bridge then heading into the hills.

Then a covenant drop ship lands at the area were the life pod Chief left it releases the Covenant forces it held inside it it releases multiple grunts and jackles along with three elites, Two were elite minors wile one was a red Armored elite Major.

The Major began to give out orders "Search that pod make sure there's no survivor"

With orders giving one of the minors followed by two grunts went inside the pod to see what was in it only to see that all the crew in it were dead.

"There's no survivors all of them all of them died they must have crashed" the minor Elite said looking at the dead marine bodies with No respect.

As with Chief he saw he saw this from afar but leaves then to head some were else to go up the hills still.

* * *

With Ruby she saw tons of Covenant's Ships were coming to were she along with the Marines are with the scope of her Weapon.

"Mister Sargent Johnson! a ships coming!" She yelled to him but had to ask something "But...are the enemy ships Purple?"

Johnson just knew those were Covenant drop ships that were coming when Ruby said that "Yes Ruby. those are the enemies ships." He then gets his assult rifle ready as he continued to speak "alright Men! We're about to be engaged by the enemy soon so let's give them a fight they won't forget Marines!" As he said that all the Marines felt determination to win this.

Even Ruby felt determination on this. She had to admit this Sargent guy named Johnson a cool badass man in charge she felt like some people from her world like Yang her big sister would like him as a teacher.

Then she heard a marine when one shouted "THERE HERE!" as he yelled the Drop ship began to fire at the Marines making them take cover wile it drops off some of its foot soldier's as well then leaves as for the foot soldiers they began to fire at them.

Ruby fired at some of the Aliens as well managing to shoot three grunts all head shots and falling down dead. Ruby was using all she can to keep calm about killing these aliens since this was not like killing grimms to her but her shots made most of the assist Force to take cover.

"Good work Ruby" Johnson said throw a Com he had as he then returned fire along with the other marines.

With one Elite Minor he was still shooting at the Human threat along with some others that were not in cover of the structure around then but they soon will be shot down. but the elite who's sheilds was down and one grunt.

A Marine saw this and smiled and aims "this split lips is mine!" He says as he aims at the elite to kill it then fired at him.

With the Elite he saw this coming as he grabbed the grunt near him that he used as a shield the Marines bullets hit's the grunt multiple times. The elite then fired his plasma weapon on said marine hitting him in the face killing him along with difigruing his face that no one could rechonize it.

As for Ruby. She was doing the best she can still to kill most of the aliens she manage to kill a lot of them. But more came when two more Covenant Drop ships came along Dropping off more Of them Ruby knew they might get overwhelmed soon.

As for Johnson he was dragging a marine that was shot in the shoulder to cover as he and the last marine with him began to fire back at some of them killing some but not enough to even the odds.

"Looks like this is it Sargent " the Marine says as he loads his last clip of am into his assult rifle.

Johsnon nodded to him "Well, it was a pleasure fighting among my men here till the end" he says as he hits a Grunt that was behind him with that he end of his rifle and then shoots at it till it was dead.

The Covenant were coming closer there was no escape for the Marines now or Ruby as they kept firing apon them...but then a Plasma grenade was thrown landed on a grunt who panics then as he tried to get it off but it then exploded killing it along with anyone near him.

"What the!" A Elite says in his language, as he turns to see who thrown that plasma grenade. Only to see a pistol was aimed at his face by what he had wide eyes to...a Demon.

"Boo" Chief says and before fhe elite could say anything Chief fired at the elite head killing it instintly as if falls down dead.

With lots of the other Covenant seeing the Master Chief, they all turned around to fire apon him lots of them now ignoring the marines. Chief was dealing with them well snice lots of them were mostly Grunts or jackles attacking him as he fired his pistol at three grunts all headshots, he then takes out one Frag grenade and throws it at the jackles some avoided it but most were caught in the explosion and as for the last jackel just cowered and ran away only to be shot throw the chest ending it's life.

As with Ruby, she saw this and was amazed by the Master Chief. So far he can tell this guy must be some kind of warhero as a marine next to her was saying there saved like a fanboy she watches as chief deals with the covenant soldiers that were overwelming them.

"Who is that guy?" Ruby asked the Marine near him

The marine looks at her as he began to explain "he's a spartan but now just any spartan he's the Master Chief! He's one of the best the unsc halfs to offer"

Ruby takes in what the marine said as she looks at Chief still...but unknown to her a Jackle managed to get on the playform Ruby and the two marines were on...it has no weapons on it or she a shield on its wrist. It looks as the closest marine and with a all it's strength it Runs at the marine and jumps on him and before the marine could react the jackle used a savage way to kill him...it bited into his neck it's sharp teath ripping into the marines Skin.

Both Ruby and the marine turns to see this and Ruby had wide eyes at this but she then runs at the jackle she pressed a button on Crescent Rose turning it into a syth the jackle looks at ruby when it dropped the marine...only to see the blade that soon tool his head killing him as some of its purple blood splash onto ruby and staining her blade.

"Is he ok?" Ruby asked the Marine who takes a look at the Marine who has bine attacked by the now headless Jackle. The marine shakes his head no...Ruby had to hold back some tears right now as she goes walks away.

With Chief, after he killed all the enemy near the area his last kill was a elite. He walks to Johnson who began to tell him talk to him.

"How many of you are they?" Chief asked Johnson.

"Only five of us are left Chief and right now it's a mess we tried to call for evake but they showed up we thought we were cooked" johnson tells the Chief the news.

"Don't worry Sargent Evack will stay here till evack arrives" Cortana says as she tells Johnson throw his com link.

As for Chief someone on the alien made building catch his eye, he saw Ruby Rose but the reason he was looking at her is because of her cape and large weapon "Who's that?"

Johnson looks at were Chief is looking and knew who he was asking about "thats, that's Ruby Rose, she's a let's say a Rookie Marine but she's not a normal human"

"What do you mean?" Chief asked yet again.

"Well first it seems she dose not get that damage from plasma shots since she only has one digree burns when she was was hit and she dose not seem to have energy shields on her" Johsnon says.

Chief along with Cortana were a little surprised by this but cortana was more interested about this.

"Sargent tell me all you know about her"Chief said as Johnson tells him.

With Ruby she manage to get back to her composer along that she cleaned the blood off her syth as she takes a deep breath right now.

But Ruby then jumps when she heard a voice say something "Hey."

She turns to see it was Master Chief, the Soldier who she saw take down all the covenant forces on his own when he arrived.

"H-hello si-Sir." Ruby said saluting. ...with the wrong hand.

Cortana chuckles at this a little finding this cape girl adorable "Well she seems like the fun type"

Chief ignored cortana comment decided to speak "I asked Johnson about you he seems to have high hopes for you and expacts great things from you as well." He says in a no emotion voice "knowing him...he might be right."

Ruby looks at Chief with some surprise " re-really?" Ruby asked and Chief did a single nodd to her yes. but before the talk can continue they heard a ship coming but this time it was a palican and since no one's shooting at it Ruby knew it was a ally ship as it had a worthog on it.

"It seems there here." Chief says as he saw the palican Drop it's worthog off after Cortana told the pilot to. As for Chief he speaks to ruby again "Well we will see each other again but I half to save the remaining soldiers from the other pods."

When Chief said that Ruby wanted to help. she was not used to this war that was for sure but when people are in danger or need help she will try to help however she can.

Ruby then speaks to the Chief "I'm coming to."

Chief looks back at her "are you sure you want to come?" He asked her nicely to the teen.

"Yes I do! I might not be used to this War or the aliens But if there's anyone in danger or needs help I'll help them no matter what heck I'll run to help them as well I won't let innocence die!"Ruby said with a deep determined look in her eyes.

Chief looks at her for a wile, he knew that look very well after all he bine in the war long enough to see it many times after a wile he made up his mind after a wile thinking.

"You can come along." he says as Ruby smiled and was about to say something but chief cuts her off "But I will need you on your best got it?" Ruby nodded yes as Chief sees she will do it "Good now come.

With that they go down the Ramp as they were going, Ruby saw what remains of the Marines head into the pelican Johnson went in to as he told Ruby he would be back and that he has to do something some military bisness somewere he offered Ruby to come along but like she told chiefshe picked to stay which Johnson accapted.

On the Warrhog, was a marine who was maning the gun of said Vehicle that is capable of carrying three people. Chief Helmet showed a display of the marine Rank and ID: PFC. FITZGERALD, M.

"Hey, Chief!" Flitgerald said. "Sergeant Johnson said you could use a gunner."

"SHOTGUN!" Ruby calls out as she ran to the Vehicle.

"Well I'm sure this should make the job easier." Cortana says to Chief who is getting into the drivers seat.

As for Ruby, she was at the Co Driver seat and when Chief started driving she got her weapon ready to help the gunner names Flitgerald take care of any enemies in range.

As for Chief he listened to cortana who was doing something. "I put a nav indicatorin your HUD," Cortana said." Just follow the arrow."

"Figures." Chief says with a hint of amusment in his voice level." "You always were a backseat Driver."

As Chief said that wile driving Ruby heard Chief talking but not sure to who. "Ah...Chief...who are you talking to?"

"You will know later Ruby." The spartan replies to ruby rose as he heads to a opening in the cliffs that had what looks to be a tunnel in it.

* * *

 **Note: Here's Chapter 3 hope people enjoy it and hope to see what you think of it!**

 **Also sorry for the mistakes of this fanfic let's say I'm new when it comes to making fanfics but still I hope you all enjoy the series.**


	4. Chapter 4

As the trio drived into the opening of the cliffside it was shown there was a tunnel, it was wide and large enough to handle a scorpion tank which made it easy for the spartan to steer the warthog through it. Ruby was looking around the tunnel that they were driving she wondered who made this.'I wounder who or what built this...' she thought as she felt Chief made a turn and thinks on.'and I wounder how the others are doing.' Ruby was thinking of her Family and friends they must be worried about her...and she also missed then greatly as she let's out a sigh.

As for Chief, he was listening to Cortana whos senses had identified the inside of this tunnel. "It's not a natural foundation," when she said that meant someone made it.

Chief continue to drive deeper in the tunnel, made a few tight turns he then saw a gap as he began to drive fast to jump it.

"Hang on!" Chief said warning.

Both Ruby and the Marine named Fitzgerald did as they were told, as chief raced up the ramp's, they sailed though the air and landed hard on the other side.

"That was...so Cool!" Ruby says excitedly.

The Gunner hears ruby say this and speaks. "Well you seem like a fun loving type of marine." He says, Flitgerald did not know that ruby Just became a marine for the unsc in a way a few hrs ago.

"I'm picking up lots of covenant Traffic," Cortana said.," Cortana Said." It seems like major Silva and have captured a enemy position, if we can round up more survivors and find Captain Keyes, we will have a chance to coordinate some serious resistance."

"Good," Chief answers Cortana." It'd about time something broke our way."

Yet again Ruby wondered who Chief was talking to as she looks at him again."ah Chief are you talking to your boss or something on ah...let's say ear com?"

Chief drives the warthog still and makes a turn. "No," he then makes another turn." Cortana would you like to talk to Ruby Rose?" Chief asked as he Drives still.

"Sure!" Cortana replies, she then gets through to Ruby helmet com to speak to the huntress. "Hello there Ruby."

Ruby was surprised a little by this but she capt her cool and decided to talk to whoever was talking to her through her Helmet com. "Why ah, hello Cortana it's nice to meet you...well talk to you is more like it." Ruby says politely to cortana.

Ruby and Cortana had a talk it was a nice one as Chief eventually made it to a wide open area, it was like everything else on this ring, mysterious and the area was dark as well. Everyone also saw that the road ended in front of a deep chasm. They then saw Covenant troops around the area.

"Well...here we go again!" Ruby says as she gets her weapon ready.

Plasma fire was fired at the Warthog, the spartan Drives and rams some of the aliens over as Both Ruby and the gunner Shot some to death with there weapons.

Chief knew that they were dangerously exposed in the openx the road they were using has no cover, worse there were Enemies on both sides as well meaning they were being shot at by both sirs as well, Chief then had a idea as he gets out the warthog.

"Fitzgerald, and Ruby!" Chief Barks as he gets his Assult rifle ready. "Both of you keep firing on the left I'll take care of the ones on the other side!"

Both Ruby and the Marine nodded, they shot at the left making all enemies on that side take cover to avoid the barage of the combined might of the machine Gun of the gunner and Ruby heavy shots from her Crescent Rose, but then Ruby heard a yell of pain as the LAAG of the warthhog stopped firing Ruby turned to the gunner fell off, Ruby gets off and quicky goes to the marine wile using thr warthog as cover. Ruby saw that a pink like sharp crystal in the Marines shoulder.

"Hold on in going to pull it out!" Ruby says as she was about to reach for it.

"Dont!" The Marine said stopping Ruby, then the shared exploded in two seconds, blood sprayed from the wound making him grunt with pain and hold his shoulder. "Damn it!"

"Oh boy!" Ruby said worried for the Marine. "Don't worry I'm sure it will get healed later." Ruby said trying to reassure the marine.

Fitzgerald quickly takes out a pistol and shoots a grunt that was behind ruby in the head killing it. "Kid focus on the enemy! Don't worry about me now!"

Ruby was hasitint but she obayed as she leaves the marine and fires at the covenant that were out of cover, she manage to shoot lots of grunts dead along with a Jackal which she shot in the chest making a large hole in its chest.

As for Chief he was dealing with all the Covenant's on his side dealing with almost all ones near him, he fired at the nearest Grunt near him, he manage to get a headshot on it with his pistol, a jackal then tried to jump at him but Chief banged the butt of his pistol at the jackal face dazing as he then grabbed it's head and twists it snapping the aliens neck as its body drops down with a thud.

"Clear." Chief said to himself he then looks at the warthog, he sees that Ruby was dealing with the Covenant on her side and he saw that Fitzgerald was wounded so he heads back to the warthog and takes out a medkit. "Are you ok?" He asked the wounded soldier. Fitzgerald nodded we he held his wound still that was bleeding. The spartan then takes out a first Aid kit and he treated the wound with self healing biofoam that filled the wound, it packed it off and numbed it the marine would need stiches later but he will live. "There."

Ruby sees that Fitzgerald was healed, which brings a smile on her face as she then turns back and focused on the enemy again, as for Fitzgerald he went back on the LAAP and fired it's fast firing rate killing multiple Covenant aliens and with the help of Chief the aliens began to all die by the barage firing till every last one were down dead in fifteen minutes.

"Well that's all of them...I think." Fitzgerald Said we he let's out a relaxed sigh.

As for Ruby she looks at the dead aliens sure she knew they were the bar guys...but she did not llike that she had to kill now, these aliens were not like Grimm they were intelligent, sentient beings she then puts her Crescent Rose away and looks down.

As for Chief he was walking and looking for away across the bridgeless chasm only to see they were none as he thinks on what to do.

"Any ideas?" His companion Cortana asked, seeing that there's no answer from Chief, the AI examed the area. "The roadway ahead ends with a gap it's a logicalgauss that there'd some kind of Bridge mechansim. Find the control that extand the bride and we should be able to cross."

Chief nodded as he walks back to Ruby and Fitzgerald who were near the warthog waiting. "Both of you wait here. I'm going to try and find us a way across the bridge," both Ruby and Fitzgerald nodded, as Chief was about to go...he noticed Ruby conflicted look. He can tell being in a war was very overwelming to her. He really could not blame she was just a kid...and not a spartan so this must be doing a lot to her physically and mentally. He then looks at Fitzgerald. "Fitzgerald. talk with Ruby alright." He requested, the marine nodded as Chief then leaves and heads to a gap in the wall that leads somewere.

Ruby just laid back into the Co driver seat resting now as she was waiting for Chief to come back as she was thinking. 'Am I really ready for this?'

"Hey," That snapped Ruby out of her train of thought as she turns to the gunner who was speaking to her. "Kid what's bugging you?"

"Well...it's just this really whole thing," Ruby says as she looks at all the dead alien bodies and takes a deep breath. "I'm just not sure if I'm ready for this all."

Fitzgerald speaks to her softly. "Kid, in war no one's really ready," He says he knows how to tall to children. "In war your not sure what will happen really or how you will handle it in very stressful situations," That seemed to make Ruby seem more uncomfortable but she listened to the marine Still. "But I will take it in order to fight for the safety of my family and all the ones I care about."

Ruby perked up at that. "That's a good reason for you to join this military I'm in right now, But I joined because I felt like it was the only thing to do, I wanted to save as much people as I can I could not just stand and do nothing even if I don't know all you people." Ruby finished saying her reason why she joined the unsc.

"Well that's a good reason for sure. "Fitzgerald saye proudly of this child. "I Bet your Mother would be proud."

Ruby then looks down as a single tear went leaked out her eye. "Yeah...she would be...if she was still around." Ruby says with sadness in her voice.

Fitzgerald heard the tone and when Ruby said if her mom was still around he knew what she meant. "Oh, im...sorry." he says.

"It's ok...you didn't know." Ruby replies.

Before the talk could go, the two saw a energy like Bridge appearing at the seemingly bottomless chasm.

"Ah...what's that?" Ruby asked Fitzgerald now changing the Subject.

"That if I'm right is a energy bridge," Fitzgerald replies.

Chief returned he activated the bridge when he touched a unknown control penal that not even cortana knew was. He then gets back into the Warthog and drives on the Bridge, Ruby was really amazed by this her world did not have this type of technology at all not even close...Ruby knew she would need to learn about this world more, along with that she will half to adapt more if she wanted to survive and help The people here as she had a determined look she would not let these people down she will do whatever she can to be a assist to them.

As for Chief he saw the determined look Ruby had...which he know all to well, he then went back to paying attention to the rode as he drives began to drive out the tunnel and back outside and they began to head to the nearest Marine lifeboat.

* * *

 **Note: Well here's the next Chapter, I hope people like it and hope to see what you think of it in the reviews.**


	5. Chapter 5

"That looked like the last of them, sir. But I didn't see any of our people," Ruby said at the top of the ramp.

"They must have gone into the interior of the structure," Cortona said. Chief nodded in agreement before turning to his two companions.

"You two stay up here and secure a landing zone for the pelican. I will head down and search inside."

"Yes, Master Chief," Fitzgerald and Ruby replied.

Ruby had swiftly stuck with the Chief like glue on where they needed to go. They first rescued a bunch of Marines that were fighting in a rockslide, Chief, herself cleared as many as they could and saved eight Marines from death. Then we followed a river, coming up on another structure like the one my lifeboat fell by. The few Marines that were left fought on a ridge overlooking the aliens taking many out before we got there and clean up the place. Ruby even had a game of who's the better sniper with another Marine. Now they were at the last Lifeboat that near a cliff edge.

And Ruby felt tired from all the fighting from all the excitement in the last few hours.

With the area was Cleared Ruby and Fitzgerald walked around one of the unknown Alien structures to see if they were any more enemies that were hiding, not wanting to take any chances.

'That went well," Fitzgerald says as he looks around the area.

Ruby nodded at that as she looks around before her eyes settled over the cliff. Looking out at the stunning view that beat the one she saw overlooking Vale any day of the week. From there Ruby saw it all, the whole ringworld in full spin. It still memorializes her as the horizon curved upwards.

"Yep and this time we manage to save so many too!" Ruby's happily responded.

Fitzgerald had to admit when he saw Ruby with a smile on her face it was adorable and heartwarming... It was shameful for when Ruby loses it. This war had taken many things from people. Homes, family, friends. It can make the happiness in life away in a second.

Unknown to both of them, there was an Elite nearby in cover stalking them...waiting for an opening to strike his two humans down. Seeing one he took out and activated a plasma grenade throwing it at them. Fitzgerald was busy talking with Ruby when he heard a familiar sound.

"OK I-." Fitzgerald's wide eyes as he heard the plasma grenade before seeing it thrown at them. "MOVE!" He yelled. Pushing them out of the way.

They got out the way the grenade exploded, both Ruby and Fitzgerald avoided the blast, so they were unharmed.

"That was close!" Ruby said relieved but quickly disappeared when she saw an Elite behind Fitzgerald...having a Plasma Sword through his back as was lifted into the air by its owner. "NO!"

The Elite throws Fitzgerald off his sword before roars at Ruby as it looked at her and had his sword raises in a battle stance.

Ruby readies Crescent Rose turning into a scythe mode, attacks the elite with a wordless cry. Filled with anger for how he killed her friend in cold blood.

The Elite avoids Ruby's swing before launching forward a used his energy blade to hit Ruby, only for her to block him with her weapon. Then the elite pulls out his plasma rifle, firing with a trio of shots into Ruby abdomen. Ruby felt her aura activate stopping the first two shots the burning in her chest armor. The Elite then kicks Ruby sending her back onto the ground along with her losing Crescent Rose.

'Ouch that Hurt.' Ruby thought as she held her gut, feeling the severe burns on it. She silently thanked Monty for the only reason she was still alive was due to her aura.

The Elite walked casually up Ruby with intending pleasure of killing her. But stops as he saw the human weapon, Ruby's Crescent Rose. Looking at it for a sec, he reached down and picks it up. Ruby sees this and stares at the Elite in horror as he throws her baby off the cliff.

"No!" Ruby shouted. Her baby that she had worked so hard with. Lost to her forever.

Ruby then stood back up, eyes brimming with hate. She had no choice now but to use her the last weapon she had on her. A Marien combat knife that was strapped to the collar on her chest plate.

Upon seeing the knife, the Elite charges at her again and let's our a roar with its sword raised, ready to strike Ruby down. But was then surprised when the human suddenly ran back at him before bursting in a cloud of pedals. When the blob of flower petals hit him his shields went down before he knew what was happening. Before he had time to react with his shields gone, Ruby jamb the combat knife into the Elites Neck. The blade was logged in deep through his windpipe as purple blood filled up his lungs. The Elite gave off one more cry before falling back dead.

Ruby was panting hard at what she just did. Looking down at the knife she had was coated in purple blood. Right now Ruby was feeling...nothing. Before she would feel disgusted about killing or saddened but...killing these aliens after a while began to feel like she was killing Grimm. She began to wonder if she should feel any type of wrong about it or not since the Covenant were sentient beings unlike Grimm...but like Grimm they kill without Mercy or regret.

"So," Ruby looks at Fitzgerald in surprise that he was still alive. "Looks like your starting to get used to this huh?"" He said with a proud smile while he held his gut. "Good, now you are ready...for this war." He said laughing more blood out violently.

Ruby had wide eyes and runs to Fitzgerald. "Oh no!" Ruby said seeing the wound the plasma sword left." This is bad...hold on Fitzgerald we can get you out of here in no time." Ruby said as she was about to pick him up, but he stops her.

"Ruby," he began. "Don't...bother...I won't make it" His breaths were heavy.

"Bu-but you got to! Don't you have a family? A wife? Daughter? A son?" Ruby asked trying to make the Marine stay with her.

Fitzgerald takes another deep Breath. "They're gone." He says as he takes out a picture he had in his pocket. "Lost it all...when the Covenant attacked Reach..." a tear fell down then. "But now...I go to...them...soooooon..."

Ruby stared at the Marine, tears falling from her eyes as she watched the Marine go limp, his eyes losing the life they once held...and dropped the picture...Fitzerald was dead.

United with his family.

"May you rest in peace...hope you will find happiness wherever your soul travels next," Ruby said, wiped the tears from her eyes she reached out and closed the Marines eyes and picks up Fitzgerald's picture. It was a happy family picture of him, a wife and two daughters. Memories of her own family filled her mind. Of Yang and Dad with her lost mother in the back. She took the photo and pocketed it. Determined to reach home after this.

With that, Ruby felt she was now ready...ready as she will ever be for what to face next. She had killed in this new war she founded herself in. Seeing people she wanted to help die in front of her, now knew she couldn't save everyone. She has killed and now...now she was getting used to the warzone she'd somehow found herself in. She couldn't be a Huntress right now, she now knew what it was like to be one. But now wasn't the time, they needed a soldier, but she still has more things to learn and felt like a there wasn't much time for such.

It was then that Ruby heard an explosion from the entrance of the structure and saw the Chief exiting it with several Navy personnel and Marines behind him out of the alien structure. But when he saw Ruby walk up...without the marine and he knew what happened and before he could let out a word, Ruby began talking in a sad tone.

"I'm ready to go, sir...all hostiles...are dead...but we lost one Marine to an Elite," Ruby had her head down, but Chief puts a hand on Ruby shoulder.

"His death won't be in vain." Chief said in a comforting tone the best he could to Ruby who looks at him...and gives a small smile.

"I know...I know Sir."

After that was said and Done Chief, Ruby and the survivors boarded the Pelican when it arrived. They were heading to a base were all the Marines survivors are at to regroup for now.

* * *

Authors Note: **well hope you all enjoyed the Chapter.**

 **Also, i like to thank Helljumper203 for helping me edit the mistakes out since doing Fanfics on phone is kinda tricky.**


	6. Chapter 6

Ruby hunched over in her seat and sighed, tired from the long day she just had. Her thoughts were still on the memory of what happened to Fitzgerald. Of the energy sword running through his chest before being tossed aside like he was nothing. The image of her friends Blake and Weiss or her sister Yang in the same spot brought horrible images to her mind.

After being stuck on this Bullhead lookalike, that Ruby remembered the Sergeant Major called a Pelican, for the last few hours she was ready to get some dirt under her feet. Looking to her right she saw the Marines and jumpsuit wearing navy gays resting in their seats, further down she saw the Chief standing at the lip of the ramp while hanging on to a hanging rail.

Before Ruby knew what happened, their dropship quickly decelerated and lands on the area on a back end of a mountain as they finally reached their base destination, known as Alpha base. It was a location in an area that used to belong to the Covenant, but the post was taken over by ODST's and marines, but to the Cheif, this places base supplies were limited, and if there were Covenant attack they would be mass casualties.

Quickly, Ruby and Chief made their way off their pelican, along with the Marines they recently saved got off as well onto a makeshift landing area. From there, Ruby took in the local sights of the HQ and sees the base with more of those Alien structures that were not made by the covenant.

"So this is home away from home than?" Ruby asked as she looks up at the makeshift battlements that Marines that were standing guard on. Several carrying heavy looking weapons.

"For now, it will have to make do while we're still regrouping with all the surviving marines to be and surviving ODST's," Chief says, and Ruby now was curious.

"Ok, um quick question...what's an ODST?" Ruby asked as the spartan turns his head to her.

Chief points to one as Ruby sees the black suit Soldier with a black faceplate."That is an ODST. Their full designation is Orbital Drop hock Troopers, they are special operations operators within the Marien branch of the UNSC." Chief explained as to Ruby who was still listening to the chief as she looks at the ODST he pointed to curiously.

"I assume your not an ODST?" Ruby guested as she looked up and down the Spartan, as she sees Chief shake his head no.

"What I am is a Spartan an-," Chief says, but Ruby cut him off as she speaks up in a joyful mood.

"Hey, I got a friend who's also said she's a spartan!" Ruby Shouted, not noticing a few stares from nearby Marines. "Her name is Pyrrha she's a member of Jaunee Team known as team JNPR...I wonder how they're doing how...do..." Ruby did not need to see Chief face to know he has no idea who she's was talking about. "Oh right...you don't know them." She says as chief just looks at her still.

"No, I do not know who those people you are talking about," Chief replied, Ruby just chuckles awkwardly to the Supersoldier.

Cortana just chuckled as she found this random teenager that shouldn't be anywhere near here to be really adorable. "Well...I definitely like this girl." She said privately in the Chief's helmet. Chief also had to admit he was taking a small liking to the redheaded teen as well. He can tell she will be an excellent soldier later on...even if she's awkward at times. His also wonder who the Phyrra person she mentioned was also a Spartan. It was not a name he remembered training with growing up. Was there another Spartan program that he was made unaware of he wondered.

"Kid!" A voice yelled, gaining the pair's attention.

Both Chief and Ruby turn to see who called and saw that it was none other than Sargent Major Johnson who was walking up to them, a lit cigar.

"Hey, kid! Glad you made it!" Johnson said, but he notices something that Ruby was missing. "Hey, Ruby where's that fancy weapon of yours?" Johnson asked the teenager.

"Thanks, sir," Ruby said happily to the Sargent before turning sad. "As to why I don't have Crescent Rose is because an Elite surprised me from behind, grabbed my baby and thrown her off a cliff that was nearby... I'd most likely never see her again," she explained.

It was a sad truth that Ruby was saddened by that, but then she knew somewhere that it was probably for the best. She had only five clips of gravity Dust, two fire, and one lighting Dust mags left. Which was less then a quarter of her original loadout was. Whit the risk of running out of Dust rounds and without the means to make more, she would be useless in any fighting. The bullets the Marines used were a very different caliber and were unsuited to be used in her lost baby.

"Damn...that sucks to hear that. Hey, Chief. Mind if I take our little friend off your hand's for a bit? I'll get her loaded up with a new weapon from what we're using as an Armory in this hell hole." Johnson asked the Spartan.

"I don't mind," Chief said as he petted Ruby's head much to her announce. "Go load up with whatever you need." With that Chief turned and left. Leaving Ruby under the Sargent Major's charge.

"Well alright, let's go let's get you a weapon," Johnson declared before puffing out a cloud of smoke.

It wasn't long before they entered a nearby structure that the survivors used as an armory. The weapons Ruby saw made her inner gun nut squeal in joy as she took in all the different types of UNSC weapons. From the MA37 Assault rifles and M6D Pistols to the Sniper Rifle System 99C-Series 2 Anti-Matériel snipers and SPNKr Rocket Launcher with so much more the longer she looked at all at what UNSC used as weapons as she was stared at them all like a fangirl would.

"SO COOL!" Ruby yelled out in excitement she went from rack to rack of guns like a kid that won the candy store lottery, Johnson just watched this and found it amusing. He hadn't seen anything like this in a long time and was quite frankly liked it. Kinda like a breath of fresh air if he was honest about it.

"You really like weapons, don't ya?" Johnson said to the hyperactive girl, but Ruby was to busy to hear this as her attention was still focused on all the weapons to pick from of the armory.

* * *

As for Chief, he was in his given quarters doing a run routine maintenance on his armor systems when Cortana started talking about said, girl.

"So Chief, do you think this Rose girl is ready for something like this? Since you know sooner or later we will be out on another mission," Cortana explained. Chief knew that Cortana was right.

"Both Yes and no." Chief replies to Cortana.

"Why's that?" Cortana asked a little curious, she usually could just look up Ruby file to see her flaws...but couldn't find her records anywhere in her database.

"On the yes part, she's ready to kill when the time comes, and I can tell that she won't show mercy to the enemy. I have seen her fight and is skilled enough to survive in a firefight." Chief says to Cortana. "But as skilled as Ruby is she still is still young and has a lot to learn in this war. For now, she has only scratched the surface right now." Chief answered the ship A.I. His attention was then drawn to a Marine stuck his head in his room.

"Sorry to bother you, Chief, but Major Silvia would like to see you over at the Command Post...on the double." The marine told the Spartan

"Wonder what that ODST wants to talk to you about," Cortana said.

"Very well, I'll be on my way," Chief says.

"One more thing...the Major said to leave your armor here."

The spartan frowned at this. He didn't like to be separated from his armor, especially a combat zone. But an order was an order, and until he determined what happened to Keyes, Silva was in command right now.

* * *

Back with Ruby, she'd eventually picked out a few weapons to work with. One Obviously was one of the extra sniper rifles they had in stock. As she looked over making sure she made sure it was on safety when Johnson told her where it was.

"So will this do?" Johnson asked Ruby.

"Yap it will. Not as good as my Crescent Rose...my poor baby...but this will do for now till I can find the materials and a forge to build her again," Ruby answers him honestly. Under Johnson's advisement, she also took one of the M6D's and was now sitting on her side.

Johnson decided to ask Ruby something that was on his mind. "Ruby, how do you feel about this war? Now that you experienced it first hand."

Ruby happy smile dropped and was replaced with a cold look. One that Johnson seen too many times in his life. "It's a nightmare, you half to worry about your friends and people who you are close with dying at any moment...and find that you can't save everyone," Ruby answered as she sighs then as she felt Johnson out a hand on her shoulder.

"Your right Ruby wars are just like and get worse the longer you stay in one...but Ruby, know this. We will never give up to the likes of the Covenant, ever! We will do whatever we can to win this war, and we will damn sure give the Covenant hell and will not let them win." Johnson declared and getting to see that Ruby now had a small smile.

But then a Marine walks in, and he speaks getting their attention. "Are you Ruby Rose?"

Ruby nodded as she heard the Marine say her name. "That's my name."

"I need you to come with me, Major Silva wants to speak with you." The marine told them, Ruby wondered who this Silva is.

"Wonder what he wants to talk to you about," Johnson wondered. He admits he doesn't know much about the man in question other then he was the officer in charge of the company's of ODST's onboard the ship and had only met the man a few times briefly.

"I'm not sure Sargent he just sent me to retrieve her to him to talk he did not give me the details." The Marines replied. Ruby nods to that and sets the sniper rifle back on a nearby rack.

"Ok...I'll come along to ensure what this guy wants," Ruby answered.

"Good, come with me." The marine said. With that, they take head to the Command Post to where the, for now, commander of this base was. Leaving Johnson behind as he watched the two march off. Giving the redhead one last look before turning to a nearby weapons rack and retrieving the weapons the young girl left. If she was about to head back out on another mission, then he was going to make sure the kid's weapons was ready for when the fighting starts. Ruby wonder what kind of guy that wanted to speak to the young Huntress. Unaware of who else that was already there.

* * *

.Ruby walked with the unknown Marien to the command post. As soon as she got there, she saw it was the tallest alien structure in the area. When they neared the entrance, the Marien then quickly told Ruby to stay put so he can announce to the Major that she was here.

It was then she was joined by another man standing next to her. A very tall and very pale man. Ruby looked at the guy and saw that his skin was paler than her's. She wanted to be friendly to the people here, so she started up a conversation with the guy.

"So why are you here?" Ruby asked Chief.

"Not sure." Chief replies to the Child." I was just told that Silva wanted to have a word with me and I assume you to Ruby." Chief says, Ruby instantly recognized that voice and now knew who this armorless man is.

"Chief! That you?! So that's what you look like without your armor. Wow, you are really tall even without your armor." Ruby said, still looking at him. "What are you doing out of it thou?" She asked.

"I was told to and was asked to see Major Silva." The Chief answered.

"Huh... So was I," Ruby replied. That made the Chief wonder what Silva had in store for the redhead.

Soon the two got to an area in the command post where Silva's room was at with two Helljumpers stood guard at. When they saw the Spartan, they gave a look of hostility. But when their focus was aimed at the little girl next to they couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at under their faceplates. When the Larger ODST saw the noncom's collar insignia. "Yeah, Cheif, what can we do for you?"

"Master Chief Spartan 117, reporting to Major Silva by his orders." Chief answers them.

"Huntress Ruby Rose, I am here to report to him as well!" Ruby announced standing next to the Spartan. This made both the ODST's and Spartan raise a mental eyebrow. John had no idea what a Huntress and filed it away for future thought later.

It was then a female ODST with tribal tattoos on her face had come from behind the pair and greeted the two. "Good your here, I'm Mckay, Chief Silva would like to talk to you first. Miss Rose has been asked to stay out " She said to Ruby and the Chief. Ruby gave the super soldier as silent good luck before leaving her alone with the ODST's outside the room.

"Well...gauss I'll just wait here...anyone got any cookies?" Ruby asked them, and they shook there heads no. "Oh..." she then looks down.

"Well...we do have these." The shorter ODST said as he takes out a set of two protein bars and hands them over to for Ruby.

Ruby looks at it for a few moments before her stomach rumbles in a series of growls. She remembered that she had not eaten anything since she before being in space. Taking the bars it, she'd unwrapped them before stuffing her face, they did not smell bad, and the pain in her stomach subsided the more she ate...it was not bad tasting, but it will do as she began to eat it the other one.

After a while, the Chief was let out, and McKay turned to Ruby. "Major Silva would like to talk to you now Miss Rose."

Ruby gave the ODST a nod before walking in through the door and saw a man that had to be Major Silva.

He wasn't as big as the Chief but held himself up as one a soldier from Atlas or a veteran Huntsman would be. Ruby felt the mans aura as she entered, it was one that defiantly said: "You mess with me and I'll make you regret it."

Ruby walked up to his dest and saw the Major looking at her with an investigative look. Like a detective interviewing someone. Ruby then salutes the commanding officer of the place, remembering to show respect to men above her...with the wrong hand.

"Ruby Rose reporting sir," Ruby says kinda nervous as Silva looks at her.

"Miss Rose ... you're using the wrong hand." Silva pointed out to Ruby who blushed in embarrassment and quickly switches hands to salute the right way.

"Sorry, sir!" Ruby said she was thinking she was already making a wrong impression.

Shiva just raised a hand. "At ease." He said.

"Oh ok," Ruby says as she stops saluting.

"OK, now that's all that's done let's talk," Silva said he decided to be nicer then he was to the Chief since Silva does not see any reason to be...too hostile to this child, but he had to ask her some questions regardless. "I need to ask you something, do you know what ONI is?"

Ruby looks at the officer, being really confused as this was not what she was thinking would happen when being questioned. "Ah...ONI?...what's that?" She asked. See the apparent confusion on the young girls face, Silva felt a small weight lift from his gut knowing that the spooks weren't in on this.

"Well, that confirms one thing your not working with them." He says since he can tell Ruby was still giving a confused look that was genuine in his eyes. He asked this since he knows ONI would do many things to have an agent of any type in place almost here and he would not be surprised if a child were an agent of theirs.

"Umm...OK then." Ruby says still kinda confused. While also hoping to move this along.

"Regardless what are you? I heard from a medic that that was on board the Autumn that you were hit by a shot of plasma and your skin did not melt off and only received a minor burn. Yet you do not have an energy shield or armor like that Spartan to stop the blast and your clearly not one of my Helljumpers and not one of the crewmen and while we're on the subject how did you get on the Piller of Autumn?" He said in rapid-fire succession as he waits for Ruby answer.

Ruby put some thought in this should she tell this guy the truth like she told Johnson or lie. But if the Major went to Johnson to confirm her story, then it would more then likely result in a lot of trusts that is lost. Since seeing no harm in it, Ruby choose to tell the truth. Seeing no damage in it at all she decided to do the first option.

"Well, sir...I'm a Huntress, well used to be one before ending up here. I from another planet you see me, and my team went some were, and we found a weird looking device and when I touched it Bam! I am here all of a sudden in an intergalactic war, fighting aliens." Ruby says explaining it the best I can. "I know crazy ri-"

"I believe you." The Silva cuts her off, and Ruby now looks at him with surprise. "What? Think your story is the weirdest thing I've heard that is true?" He says, but he goes on." Well with what I've been informed by the Marines you helped in rescuing, and the reports I've been getting are telling me you are a naturally good person, along with being a good shot with a considerable amount of kills that have been reported. which is all good but still...you are just a kid in my eyes and have got a lot of growing up to do." He explained. Ruby was getting tired of hearing that, even before ending up on that spaceship, now she has got lots of Marines are saying that too.

"I might be a young sir...but I have done many things already in this war that I never thought I would half to do, I've killed and seen people die, and also I have to live with the thought that I might never see my family ever again... it doesn't matter if I am ready or maybe not. I will fight to and help stop those aliens; however, I can."

Silva looked at Ruby for a time, to him, this girl had a fire in her eyes that could burn a town down, a heart a lot to with courage that would match one of his Helljumpers by the looks she gave him. Even with her talents, it didn't make it any easier what he had to do next. "Very well, you may leave now Ruby...also get your kit ready, your heading out on a mission later."

"Ok...but what kind of mission?" Ruby asked.

"To assist in the rescue operation of our ships Captain, Captain Keys you will be assisting with the Chief along with some Marines and ODST's in the fighting. You'll get details at the main debriefing later, dismissed," Silva explained.

Ruby's eyes went wide. She snapped a salute with the right arm this time and left. She may not know who Captain Keys was, but knew regardless she will help her new friends to save him.

* * *

 **Note: Hope you all like it.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Truth and reconciliatio** n

Ruby looked out of the bay doors of the Pelican Dropship as they flew over the Mesa. She was strapped on one of the many seats in Echo 419's Pelican, each of them taken by a heavily armed Marine. The Chief stood at the edge of the bay itself, His left arm holding a handrail from the ceiling, while the other hand held his Sniper Rifle. Cortana was also present, inside the Chief's helmet.

Ruby was a little nervous since this is the first time she's doing a rescue mission, worried that she might mess something up somehow in one way or another. She held up her new weapon, an SRS 99C Anti-Matériel, it will take her a while to get used to. It was solely a sniper rifle so she would have to avoid swinging it like her Crescent Rose, but it will do for now.

Before they left Alpha Base, one of the Marines had given Ruby a few extra pouches to carry more ammo to which she was thankful. The rounds for her new Sniper rifle were nearly a third larger than then the Dust rounds she usually uses. Instead, they were of really dense metal that she didn't know the name of till she was told it. Something she found a bit funny called 'Tungsten.' Apparently, when shot correctly you can blow up a aliens head at 2,000 meters, that made Ruby's eyes go wide with wonder. She could only imagine taking out Ursa's at that range without having to get in close again.

With nothing to do for the foreseeable future till they land. Ruby got up from her seat and made her way over to the Spartan and looked out from the night sky.

"Still can't believe something like this place exists out here in the galaxy," Ruby said. Gaining the Chief's attention. John just gives a simple nod to the small redhead but felt the need for his curiosity of this unknown child to be sedated. Cortana told him that she was a complete mystery as the 'smart' A.I. had access to everyone's fie on the Autumn's personal and Ruby wasn't in there. His training had taught him to be aware of unknown dangers, and Ruby is notably a big unknown.

"Ruby," the Spartan said catching the girl's attention. "What's with the cloak?" He had noticed it before but had yet commented on it. The crimson red cloak that the teen wore that hun off her was very noticeable and reminded him a bit of the red capes of the ancient Greek Spartans.

"Oh! This is my huntress cloak. It's...one of the few things I had left that my mom gave me before she died. I keep it with me as a reminder of why I want to protect people," Ruby explained.

John nodded in approval of her explanation. On wanting to keep something like that. Not many knew this, not even Cortana or his fellow Spartans. In one of the many pockets on his suit held the same coin he got from Dr. Halsey all those years ago when he first met her as a boy. So he can sympathize that with the young youth on sentimental value.

"Aww, that so sweet of you Ruby. I like it, plus I think you look great with it!" Cortana charmed in.

"Thirty seconds to dirt!", Foehammer announced over the interior radio. "Make sure you get the Old Man back and leave those basterds dead on the floor."

"So how do we get inside the ship if it's in the air?" Ruby heard one of the Maries said from behind. "The corps issued me a rifle, not wings."

"The ships gravity lift takes troops and supplies between the ship and the surface. That's our way in." Said the Sargent of the group.

"Go, Go, Go!" and all the marines, the Chief and Ruby leaped out of the dropship, landing on the smooth dirt and dust. Ruby noticed that it was really dark. It was in the middle of the night, and barely any light other than that coming from the strange work lights littered around the place. Though her helmets eyepiece had night vision, so that helped her see in the dark.

After depositing the marines, the Pelican closed the doors and flew off into the distance. Soon after, the Chief crept along a rocky footpath to the right, with Ruby following close behind. It rapidly rose to a two-meter high embarkment, with clusters of rock providing plenty of places to hide behind.

"Warning," Cortana said on the comm freq, "Covenant Stationary Guns are guarding that pass. I recommend using your sniper rifles to take out the gunners while I call upon the Marines for support."

"Will be ready to advance when you give the word Cortona," replied one of the Marines.

Looking over her cover at the footpath ahead. Ruby could make out the shapes of Grunts, Jackals, a few Elites, and two purple, hovering seats which had a weapon attached to them set up on converging line of sights. Both of the chairs had a grunt sitting in them.

The Chief found a patch of cover next to a large stone and motioned for Ruby to move to the next rock. She complied and waited as the Chief raised his rifle. After a moment of nothing but waiting for any sign of attacked, Ruby turned back to the Chief and witnessed him practicing moving his rifle to aim from one of the armed seats to the other as fast as he could. Ruby, seeing what the Chief wanted her to do, she did the same and set her gun sites on one of the gun turrets while the Chief aimed at the other.

Ruby steeled herself at what she was about to do and waited for the Spartan to fire first. Ruby didn't have to wait long as moments later the Chief pulled the trigger and the rifle kicked against his shoulder as a loud bark was heard. The Grunt in the first Shade had his head blown off, sending blood everywhere. Ruby then fired her sniper rifle, the kick surprising her as the kick was more then what she was used to, but her shot flew true as the Grunt was sent flying out of its chair.

Ruby saw that they started their first firefight and began started shooting any enemy alien she saw.

* * *

At the truth and reconciliation the elite Shipmaster Lat 'Ravamee was in the command area of the ship right now he was not happy since tight now the humans that survived the attack really were causing him and his forces more trouble then he thought.

"Shipmaster." One of the ships Major's said." The damage we have taken from that human ship appears to have bine worse then we've precisely thought. it will take longer than previous predictions to where the ship is at full readiness."

"Very well..." The Shipmaster says annoyed. "No matter once we gain control of halo, all of this effort will be worth it for as long as the great journey will begin."

The elite nodded. "Indeed Shipmaster, indeed." He says agreeing with his leader.

As he was about to leave, the Shipmaster said one last thing.

"Oh, and when you get the human captain to speak and has given us all that he knows...execute him since he will no longer have any more use to us." The Shipmaster says in a serious tone.

The Elite Major nodded to the order and leaves he was going to do his job as he gets a device ready to have a talk with the prisoners.

* * *

Back with the Rescue Team, they lost many on their way to the Enemy ship. Each time that one of the Marines had fallen made Ruby felt like a piece of herself was dying at the failure of not protecting them.

After fighting many two more passes filled with enemy troops, they soon reached the grave lift and secured it the area around it. But came at a high cost as there were only two marines left out of the dozen that came with Ruby and the Chief. Now they were under the ship and saw the vessels gravity lift straight ahead.

"Damn...that was hard well at least we're here." The Marine said as he moves a dead Grunt out the way as he began to walk towards the gravity lift.

Ruby looked at the gravity lift and was curious about it since yet again like everything else from her world it was something to behold as manipulating gravity like what the Covenant have done seemed impossible. Even with the gravity Dust, she uses from Remnant couldn't bring this level of strict control to proper function.

But then Ruby saw something coming down the gravity lift. She saw two massive spiky armored that was blue, they had a shield on their arm along with a giant green cannon on the other arm. Overall the two monster aliens reminded the young huntress much of an armored Ursa.

"What are those?" Ruby asked a marine.

"Hunters! Take cover!" The marine yells then as he and the others get out the way of as incoming green plasma beam.

Their weapons glowed green until they fired at the marines, making a 'whoop' sound. The green blasts hit one of the two Marines, causing him to literally melt before their eye's.

Ruby looked back at the Hunter and fired her sniper rifle at it. But her rounds just bounced off its armor like she was shooting a BB gun. "Wow! These things have tuff armor!"

Ruby's bullets may not have hurt the hunter, but it did attract it's attention to her. One of the Hunters jumped off of the disk and charged straight at her. Though they looked bulky in nature, the Hunters were remarkably swift as it runs right at her while trying to slam her with it's massive shield. But Ruby was a Huntress and had fought bigger opponents than these guys she pushed her aura into her legs and jumped over the massive alien soldier. When she landed, she was about to fire the Hunter again, this time into its back. The hunter swings around and strikes Ruby, sending her flying and banging against the wall making her drop her sniper.

The hit hurt Ruby but felt that her aura had taken most of the impact. She was about to try to get her sniper back but then saw the hunter raised one of its feet and steps on it, destroying it under its foot.

"OH COME ON!" Ruby wined this was the second weapon she lost in the last twenty-four hours.

The Hunter was about to fire at Ruby...But gunfire was shot at the Hunter, and it turns to the last living Marine that was shooting at it, so the Hunter fired at the marine instead killing the Marine instantly with the heat of its massive plasma beam.

Ruby looked at the dead Marine with wide eyes as he sacrificed himself to try to save her. This only made her angrier as she then uses her Semblance and rushed around and she jumps on the Hunter. The hunter then wanted to shake her off, but Ruby held on tighter to the Hunters back, she than spots several exposed pieces of armor on the Hunters backside. Seeing the weakness, seeing that Ruby pulls out her M6D pistol and starts firing at the unarmored sections, making the Hunter roar in anger and in pain while throwing Ruby off its back.

Ruby lands hard on her shoulder on the ground. Looking around for anything that can help her she spots a frag Grenade by one of the Marines that died earlier. Seeing that an Idea had formed up in her head and as she grabs it and rushes back at the Hunter.

Using her speed, Ruby jumps to the side when Hunter raises its arm to hit her again. Quickly getting behind it, she then pulls the pin and stuffed it into the Hunters exposed back before jumping away as the Hunter orange exploded.

"Well...Glad that worked." Ruby says as she then looks to see several small worms from the hunter wiggling on her." Ew!Ew!Ew!" She screamed as she tries to throw them all off her.

As for Master Chief, he jumped into a nearby shade turret and proceeded to pelt the Hunter in a barrage of plasma. This mad it made its armor week allowing the Spartan to get in close and finishing it off by focusing fire on it's exposed back. Its weak spots were easily found as he has had lots of experience with these things in the past. After shredding its insides with his bullets, it eventually dropped down dead. It was then that he heard a grenade go off and saw the other hunter was taken care of by none other than Ruby much to both the super soldier and the A.I surprise and amusement as they saw her panic by being covered in Hunter worms.

"Good work you two, I'm going to contact Echo 419 to bring in Reinforcements," Cortana says as she began to call Echo 419.

Soon the pelican arrived and out came six marines all prepared as they run up to both Ruby and Chief.

One of the Marines sees that Ruby had lost her primary weapon, He motions for her to follow him to the Pelican and towards some pods that carried the extra supplies for the mission. Ruby see the guns and grabs herself a new Sniper rifle to replace the one she lost and an Assault rifle she placed under her huntress cloak. They then all gathered around the Gravity Lift on top of the platform.

"Well...hopefully I can help save this Keys fella," Ruby says to herself as herself before taking a deep breath then.

"Looks like we made it," a Marine said just as an invisible hand plucked him off the surface to pull him up to the Ship.

Ruby could only stare before giving a surprised 'yelp' as she was lifted off of the ground, her legs temporarily waving in the air as she struggled to control her anxiety from it, and was pulled up like the others. Cortana took this moment to comment about her plan. "I can home in on to the Captain's Neural Interface once we're in the ship, and will use that to lead us to him, though he will most likely be placed in the ship's brig, or at the very least near it.

"Glad to hear it," John dryly remarked in reply, before he felt the beam pull him up towards the ship. Within moments, every Marine, Huntress, and Spartan was flying towards the Ship. The Chief tightened the grip on his rifle. Things were about to get hectic.

* * *

Note: So here's the next chap! Also I had Help from Helljumper206 he's 's great Help.


	8. Chapter 8

The Chief felt himself lurch as the Gravity lift hung him in the air for a brief moment before crashing down on the deck of the Truth and Reconciliation's lift bay.

Everyone that was in the Covenant ship everyone looked around the part of the ship they were in. Ruby was the most curious of them all as everywhere she looked filled her with questions on what everything that was there.

Chief glanced at Ruby. As she was obviously enjoying the sight of the Covenant Architecture. With their tapered rectangular boxes that were the equivalent of gear crates being stacked all around the raised compartment, two of which were open, with Needlers being exposed, waiting to be picked up. As well as the high ceiling that had lights, the large and small doors on all of the sides of the bay.

Once the entirety of the extraction team had arrived, the Marines spread out across the bay, looking for any Covenant that could be hiding, waiting to strike. The Chief also went towards one of the high metal doors on the perimeter. Ruby quietly stood in the middle, unsure of what to do till she spots something near one of the big doors.

"Hey," Ruby calls out getting one marines attention. "What's that?"

The Marine looked at the cape-wearing girl before looking to where she was pointing, right towards the heavy Covenant blue vehicle that was in the Chamber they were in right now. All the Marines knew what type of vehicle this is...and he had a little fear of it since these machines have killed many Marines before him.

"That's a Wraith girl, think of them like their version of tanks." Then Marine explained to Ruby.

The crimson Huntress pondered on the alien war machine. "Ok...wait, Wraith? Isn't a Wraith some kind if ghost?" Ruby asked the Marine.

"Yeah...the Coves are strange when naming a lot of there vehicles after ghosts, heck they have smaller versions of these things called ghosts that are purple. Then there are air born units called banshees, and there's their troop transport of Spirits and Phantoms." He explained as he finished then and Ruby thought about this but was cut short when she hears Cortona start talking through her radio.

"Alright everyone we're in...I've got a good lock on the captains CNI transponder. "Cortana informed them but does a scan of the area and frowns. "No covenant defenses detected."

"What no Covenant?" One marine calls out. "Maybe no body's Home."

It was then the sound of a door opening draws everyone's attention and saw an elite standing at the doorway. The Marines quickly raised their weapons shoot, but the elite avoided their shots and takes and then turns on its cloaking shield so now no one could see it anymore...so they all had there guard up.

Then the other three sets of doors flashed open on the different sides of the bay, revealing a swarm of Covenant Troops, who then began to rush out to kill the Humans.  
A second Marine turned to face the first Marine who had just spoken. "'No Covenant,'" he snarled, mocking the embarrassed trooper. "You just had to open your mouth, didn't you?"

A firefight quickly erupted in the compartment, with the Chief targeting the Elites, leaving the Jackals and Grunts for the Marines to handle. The first Elite he encountered was a major and was thus prepared for a direct assault, so the Chief replied by igniting and throwing a captured plasma grenade at him. It attached to the Elite's chest, and the Elite speedily tried to remove his chest armor, but was too slow and was vaporized in the explosion. He emptied a full mag of AR ammo into a second Elite, who was a bullet sponge until the final bullet entered his skull.

The Cloaked elite that evaded the previous assault sneaked behind one of the groups of humans and waited for the right moment to strike. He had planned to stab the female human with the strange red cape, he had fought humans many times before but never had he seen one of their soldiers wear something that served so little purpose. He assumed that this was some sort of unique leader that needed to be dealt with.

The Chief had fed a new clip into his Rifle after taking down two Elites and was about to take on a third, until that Elite had a hole blown right through its chest by Ruby, using her sniper rifle like a pro. As a Jackal tried to rush her, she merely bashed the Jackle aside to point where it's handheld shield was out of the way before following with a roundhouse kick, setting it even more off balance and finishing it off with her sniper rifle. The Chief was impressed by her skills as he watched her take cover near the Marines before fighting off an Elite Major.

Ruby was then handed a frag grenade by one of the marines and together each thrown one at the Covenant then killing many of them and taking the two Elite Minors with as well. As for Chief, he killed off the Major that tried to fight him close up by snapping its neck as Ruby and the Marines killed the last of the Grunts and Jackals.

"Area Clear," one marine said. "And surprisingly we didn't lose anyone."

"Yea...wait did anyone get-" before he could finish he was stabbed by an energy sword as Ruby had wide eyes at the Marine in front of her was impaled and lifted up off the floor before being tossed to the side like garbage.

The spec ups Elites said silent curses at the dead human, he intended to kill the crimson human female, but the Marine was in the way of his blade and needed to be dealt with first before taking down the female. He was about to strike at her but was taken back as the female took her weapon swung it like a club hits him in the chin hard with the back of her sniper making his cloak deactivate and lose a third of its energy shield strength.

The hit really did take the Spec op's Elite back as he was not expecting a female human so small to hit as hard as one of their Demons.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!" Ruby says, visibly angry. Before the elite could react, she aims her sniper at the alien's face and fired. It caused the helmet to crack as the powerful blast went through its remaining shield and puncturing through the mask to its face. The Elite body jerked back before falling to the ground, purple blood leaking out its head. Ruby takes a deep breath to calm down then as she looks at the Spartan and surprised crew of Marines now having her composer back.

"Should we go now?" Ruby ask the others. She was still angry and sad for the Marines death, but she had a mission, and she can't let her emotions get the better of her now.

An unaugmented teen no older than when he and his fellow Spartans were when they first received their MJOLNIR armor, had just fought off an Elite Spec Op's solder in close combat using her sniper rifle as a club and finishing it off with a headshot. Now the Master Chief was really impressed.

Yes." Chief simple said as they all were about to go then...but then they heard one of the sets large doors was opening and the rescue crew looked and saw that it was...a pair of Hunters.

"OH FUCK!" One Marine yelled as the Hunters moved in and attack them.

Everyone took quickly took cover to avoid the green streams of plasma. Unlike the outside where it was spacious and open, where here there were lots of places to take cover. Here they were in a ship's chamber that was compact giving the Hunters a higher chance now for the hunters to kill them.

From his position, Chief climbed up a set of supply crates before throwing a Frag Grenade at the living tanks. The Hunters saw this and raised their shields making the Grenade detonated harmlessly against their defenses before continuing fight the Rescue team.

Ruby had switched for her sniper for the assault rifle and was doing her best to assist in taking on the Hunters but saw that this wasn't going nowhere. She needed to end this fast and began thinking on a plan. Then an idea popped into her head and looked behind her. They needed heavy weapons to take on the Hunters why not a Wraith? Use their own weapons against them. She had seen what Covenant handheld weapons do so what does tank size ones do?

But could she drive it? Dad had let her drive the family car once, but that didn't go well...but the way the Wraith was placed she saw that it was parked facing in the direction the hunters.

You don't need a license to move a gun turret.

"Hey, I got an idea!" Ruby says to the Marine next to her.

"What is it?!" The marine asked while he reloaded his assault rifle.

"Could we use that?!" Ruby pointed at the parked Wraith behind them. The Marine saw that and instantly knew what she was planning. It was dangerous and crazy. He just shrugged his shoulders at her as he didn't know for sure either.

"Just keep them off me alright?!" Ruby said as the Marine nodded before getting up and giving the girl covering fire. With that Ruby started running and used a bit of her Semblance to run to the wraith.

Unknown to Ruby. Chief saw her break cover and run. He was again taken slightly off guard when she ran so fast it matched Spartan speeds. He observed Ruby as she reaches the parked Wraith and opens the top hatch before dropping in its driver chair.

"Oh this should be good," Cortona commented as she too watched the teen.

Ruby had no idea what she was doing. When she dropped into the hardbound seat, everything started to light up and felt the whole machine rise. Ruby thought about pressing one of the many random buttons to see what they do but thought that would do more harm than good. Then she eyed the two big sticks in front of her. Pushing the left one to the side, it caused the wraith to swerve to the left. This made her feel like she was playing with a handheld controller to one of the game consoles back home.

Ruby looks at the control sticks as she dubbed them and felt a trigger on the right one and for some reason, she knew it was to fire the main gun, and she saw the targeting system go up. Looking at the screen, the primary weapons targeting ridicule showed up, and it was aimed at the Hunters.

"OK now...I hope this works." Ruby says to herself.

As Ruby looks at the targeting system, she saw the hunters were highlighted as green...probably because the senses on the wraith can pick up enemies and ally, and it sees the hunters as its allies. So with that Ruby squeezes the trigger on the stick and fired.

Chief had been using his assault rifle on one of the hunters no avail there were no openings from him to exploit, but then a giant ball of plasma came hurling through the air and blasts both the armored aliens killing them both instantly.

All fighting had ceased as Chief, and the remaining Marines turned to the activate wraith with the hatch opening up with a smiling Ruby coming out.

"Nice thinking... didn't know how to drive a wraith." One Marine said.

"Well...I only used the gun really." Ruby said. The Marine shrugged his soldiers before plucking out a grenade and handing it to her.

"Well if you do or don't, toss a frag in there while we're here. That way they can't use that thing against us." Ruby did so, and the driver compartment went up in smoke.

Soon later they go down a hall only to find out that the door was locked after they killed Jackal guards on the way. Much to there annoyance. A marine went over to a nearby terminal and started tumbling through it.

"Doors locked sir," a Marine said. "Can't bypass it either. We can't go through here."

"We can use one of the side passages to get to the other side," Cortana suggested to the group.

"Alright, Chief We'll hold position here." A marine Sargent says. "Wait till you open to find a way around to the other side."

Ruby was about to go with him...but Chief stops her with a hand.

"Ruby, stay with the others. If Covenant comes here on this side you will be a big help with using your skills backing the Marines in defense while I find a way around to open the door," Chief explained to Ruby who looked like she wanted to argue but kept it to herself and just nodded in understanding before the Chief left them.

* * *

Deep within the ship, Lat 'Ravamee was looking at one of his vessels internal ship cameras as he looks at the area the group was on he saw the Demon and the other humans in the wondering his ship's corridors.

"So, the humans sent one of their Demons here along with some of their Imps?" Lat 'Ravamee said as he chuckles darkly then. "I expected more really." He says armors he talks to a Red armored Zealot.

"Do not underestimate them Shipmaster, I have seen what a single Demon could do by itself with a few vermin with them, and even I must admit they are strong." The Red armored Zealot said as he studies intently on each human at the screen as he saw the image of the invading group and saw the Demon walking away from the lower Imps to find another way to open the sealed door.

"You give them to much credit, Zealot, " Lat 'Ravamee then turns to the Zealot. "They will not reach the prison area and free there leader they will die trying in their pitiful attempt."

The Zealot looked at his superior and walked away. "You had better hope that you are right on that Shipmaster." The Zealot murmured as he leaves taking three elite ultras with him he was going to deal with this rescue team personally, but the two he was after was the Demon...and the vermin with a red cape.

The Shipmaster watched the Zealot leaves as he then went back to watching the screen...he wanted to see these vermin die in agony and he did not want to miss a single second of this foolish attempt of a reacue mission for there human leader.

* * *

Note: Well hope people like the chapter.

Also i like to thank Helljumper 206 for helping me edit this.


	9. Chapter 9

Chief was quick to double back to the room with the gravity. Seeing an open side passage, traveled through the halls of the Covenant ship while he engages Grunts and Jackals in the hallways. From how thick the resistance was he was near the area to let the Marines in on the other side...but Cortana decided right now to have a conversation as well while he reloaded his assault rifle...he left a lot of Bodies of dead aliens while he went down the halls.

"So Chief...this girl Ruby, she really is impressive right?" Cortana asked him.

"She is, Ruby is well trained for someone her age, and she took down a sword-wielding Spec Ops Elite alone in close combat. I wouldn't have believed it if I had not witnessed it," Chief answers his A.I. companion.

The Spartan avoids a charged shot from a plasma pistol from a grunt that he then shot down with ease.

"Yes, I've noticed she is very skilled despite her age...and her abilities interest me especially when she left a trail of rose petals on the floor," Cortana said as she continued to talk about the silver eyed girl and what she thought of the child and her unusual abilities.

"Rose...petals?" The Chief asked. Confused by what the A.I said.

"Yes. Ros petals," Cortona confirmed. "When we saw her run at high speed at the wraith, I san Ruby's cloak release a few rose petals. Strange is it not?"

It was. Chief just let the A.I. talk, as much as he liked to admit Ruby ability was strange and impressive. A thought that made him slightly worried about what will happen if ONI comes across her and finds out about her unique speed?

Chief shook his head slightly at that, he knew how they work...and if they got their hands on Ruby and her speed. It could spell doom from for the girl just because she was an unknown to them and ONI did not like unknowns. He did not even want to think of it as he just went on to the other side to engage more covenant so he can unlock the doors.

* * *

Back with Ruby, she and the Marines were just waiting right now for the Chief to unlock the doors for them.

Ruby was starting to get bored but forced herself to be aware of her surroundings. Her partner Weiss would never forgive her for such laziness. To help pass the time, the Marines all started talking to her since she had nothing better to do.

"So Ruby where you're from, what's it like?" The Marine asked Ruby curiously.

Ruby had already been asked this by Johnson but didn't go too deep into where she was from or what it was like. She decided it won't hurt to tell someone again.

As soon as Ruby opened her mouth…she stops when the sound of multiple heavy footsteps hitting the floor from where they came from.

"Incoming!" All the Marines had their guns raised, some down in a kneeling or prone position. Ruby aimed her sniper rifle up the ramp as well waiting for what's to come...then an Elite popped from the doorway and threw a plasma grenade at them, the Marines saw it scattered to avoids to the explosion.

One Marine got up...but was met with Hot plasma to the face killing him instantly. The other marines and Ruby took in what little cover they had as more Elites came out and sent a barrage of Plasma fire.

"Shit! were pinned." A female Marine cursed as she takes a quick look to see how many they were attacking, she had wide eyes when she saw that there were three elite Ultras with plasma repeater and needlers hammering at them and a Zealot walking towards them with his sword out. "Oh for fuck sake! Really!?"

Ruby raised her sniper and fired a shot on the Zealot...but the bullet did not kill it when she hit him for the Zealots shields shield held, and the Zealot growl before gripping a plasma rifle and started firing at her which she uses her speed to avoid the plasma.

The Zealot was slightly impressed by this but charged at the girl with its sword raised wanting to finish this quickly. He swung it in a horizontal arc to which Ruby ducked under. She then counters by rolling to the side firing another bullet into the Zealots leg, depleting his shields more but not hurting it. Only making him madder.

The Zealot thrust forward with his sword to which Ruby used her speed to avoid it. He then made multiple slashing at the human but kept dodging. It frustrated him to no end as to how this can be.

With Ruby, she was in trouble. She didn't have Crescent Rose anymore and couldn't fight like she used to in close quarters with these guns. All that was saving her was her speed and proper reactions to the Zealots attacks. She noticed that the Elite Zealot fought with a bit of precision like Weiss and with the strength Pyrrha. It was this that she could predict where he was going to attack next.

'Oh, where are you Chief?' Ruby thought as she closed in with her sniper rifle at the Zealot.

* * *

With the Chief. The Chief threw a grenade at the feet of the last cluster enemy Covenant in the cargo bay. This threw them out of their trance, but it was too late. The grenade exploded, killing all but one Grunt, who was then dispatched by with his assault rifle.

"Chief! Elites are engaging the Marines, they won't hold out forever get that door open NOW!"Cortona said as she sent a wave point to the door controls.

Chief ran to the controls and hit the override.

* * *

Ruby heard another marine drop down dead, she looks to see that multiple pink Needles sticking out of his chest.

Before more marines could die in this firefight they heard the big door open, Chief had done it and Ruby smiled.

"Come on! Run!" Ruby yelled as she and the Marines ran. But not before did a double kick on the Zealot before disappearing in a burst of petals and headed towards the door.

All the Marines ran for it, follow Ruby throw the door. Ruby then saw one Marine getting shot in the shoulder wounding him. She rushed to his and pulled him in the rest of the way.

"Close the door!" A Marine yells to Chief.

Chief hit the control switch to the door and shuts it fast before the heavy armored elite team could Get through. The remaining Marines there were taking deep breaths, and we're all glad to be alive...well the ones that made it really after that.

"That...was to close." The Sargent said, taking a deep breath. "But we better go...I think sooner or later those...elites will open that door and come at us again."

"One moment, there," Cortona said over the com. "I just hacked the coding for the door and deleted said coding. They won't be able to open it no matter

protocol or pass they use to open it which will buy us time." When she was finished explaining, Chief ripped a panel off done he ripped out and fired a few rounds into a power conduit. "There's also that."

* * *

With the Elites on the other side, they tried to enter a code in the door to open it...but it did not work much to the Elite ultra who punched in their access codes annoyance as he Turns to the Zealot.

"They jammed the doors, not even the code is working." The Ultra says to the Zealot that just kept his composer.

"No matter, there are other ways to get to them." The Zealot says as to the Ultra. "Now come we need to cut them off for I believe I know where they're heading."

With that, the Zealot along with the ultras following behind him left to catch up to the human rescue team.

* * *

Soon after exiting the Cargo bay and going down some corridors they soon they entered a large hangar, where all hell broke loose.

Ruby ducked as a charged plasma bolt flew over her head. She turned around, saw the Jackal that had shot at her, and returned the favor with a burst of Assault Rifle rounds.

Ruby then fired a long burst at an Elite, only hitting it with half of the shots she had fired, due to the inaccuracy of the Assault Rifle from specific ranges. Ruby hated to admit it, as much as she like weapons, automatic weapons were not her strong suit. This would be a problem she would need to fix.

"When we get back to Alpha Base I'm so going to look into putting a longer barrel on this thing," Ruby muttered.

The Elite snarled at her, firing his weapon at her. She leaped to the side, dodging the plasma shots before firing the remaining bullets in the magazine into the chest of the Elite, finally killing it.

Looking around in the Hanger. The battle ensuring around them had found that numerous hatches all across the bay opened, pouring out additional Covenant troops. Because of that, a dozen firefights had broken out all across the Hangers ground floor between the scattered Marines and Covenant. The wounded and the dead alike began to litter the deck, though there was significantly more Covenant dead than humans.

"We need a way out of this bay now," Ruby heard the Master Chief say from the Com, "or there won't be anyone left to complete the mission."

Then, Ruby's heart wrenched as she heard a bloodcurdling roar from the right. She turned and saw the Marine Sergeant that had been with them, taking on a Hunter alone. He discarded his rifle as it ran out of ammo, and tried to grab his pistol before the Hunter leaped forward and used its shield to tear through his armor.

Ruby looked at the walking pile of worms in anger. She reloaded her rifle and began firing at the Hunter. So did the Chief. Together, they attacked the Hunter from two points, with the Ruby distracting the Hunter, while Chief came in from behind, and tried to put in numerous rounds from the side. The Hunter received multiple wounds to its back before falling over dead.

It was then the second Hunter came at them, it suddenly howled in pain as a grenade detonated from behind it. It crashed to the ground, dead. Both Huntress and Spartan looked at each other, wondering who got the lucky shot, when they heard a cough, and saw the Sargent that got bashed from the first Hunter up on a knee, with his hand outstretched from throwing the frag.

Ruby ran up to the Sargent and helped the man up on his feet. He limped towards them, his free handheld on an open wound on his side, with blood flowing down onto the floor.

With that, the battle in the Hanger was over as the surviving rescue team gathered around the wounded. It was then Cortona opened up the Com.

"Echo 419 this is Cortona, requesting for more Reinforcements." Cortana requested to the pelican pilot.

Everyone thought Cortana was crazy, then Echo419 spoke everyone's thoughts. "Foe Hammer here, Cortana … I read you, but you're inside the ship. I'm not sure I can - "

"That's Crazy!" Ruby cuts in. "If miss pilot comes here she will be shot down!" Ruby says with concern for Echo419 and is not willing to sacrifice someone's life.

"Ruby. I got a plan. Chief the control to the hangers shield is located here. Get to there, bring down the shield so Echo419 can get in and drop off more troops." Cortona said setting a wave point on all their HUDS.

Seeing where it is it was on the level above them on the middle platform.

"Great but how do we get up there? All the doors on this level are locked," One Marine said.

"One moment while I access the Covenant Battle net."

Ruby then had an idea. The platform wasn't that high and could undoubtedly get up there with a little help. "Chief!" Ruby said gaining the super soldier's attention. "Think you're strong enough to hoist me up there?" Ruby pointed to the next level.

Chief tiled his head slightly at the plan Ruby came up with. It took him just a moment to think about what she planned. He was indeed strong enough and nodded his head as he placed his weapon against the wall before cupping his hands together. Ruby than ran at him before putting a foot in the Spartans hands.

The Huntress was then lunched up twenty feet in the air, easily grabbing the ledge and pulled herself up. She then walked over to the controls in question and hit them, dropping the shield to the hanger.

"Cortona to Echo 419, the hanger shield is down were ready for reinforcements and medivac," Cortona said over the Com.

"Roger Cortona, Echo 419 inbound."

"Ok got it!" Cortona proclaimed suddenly as one of the large doors opened up. "The door is open. Everyone should move through now. I can't guarantee that it won't lock when it closes." Ruby saw the remaining Marines and the Chief move through leaving her alone in the hanger. "Ruby stay where you are will be up there with you in a moment."

It was then that a dozen Covenant troops appeared along with another Hunter pair had come through a door.

"Oh no," Ruby said, scared for her life. It was then a pelican came in and it fired its weapons at the enemies inside lots of them did not have enough time to take cover this killed lots of the enemy forces and Echo even fired one missile at the Hunters killing them both. "I really owe her one," Ruby says happily as she watched Echo419 drop off some extra troops. "She's one cool pilot."

It was then the rescue team appeared and brought their wounded up to the Pelican troop bay before flying out of the Hanger and into the night.

With the new Marines merging with the serving rescue team, they now had greater numbers they continue there a way to the prison area to get to Captain Keys all with there weapons loaded.

* * *

With The Shipmaster he was walking down the ramp as the elite who he sent to interrogation Keys came back.

"Did you get any information from the Human Major?" The Shipmaster asked the Elite major?

"No." The elite Major says with some annoyance in his voice. "He's very stubborn for a vermin."

Lat 'Ravamee held in some anger as he just walks back up the ramp...unknown to them the group of marines was behind one of the doors of the set leading into, and we're waiting for the Chief to give them the go ahead. The strike team heard the elites talk...but could not understand since they were speaking in there native language.

"Ok...so I assume the yellow ones an important elite?" Ruby asked the Marine next to her as she saw the gold-armored Elite.

The Marine nodded. "Yeah...that's the ships Captain, or the Shipmaster as they are called. He's very important...and if we take him down, it might score us a massive hit on the Covenant forces on the ring."

Chief readied his Plasma rifle, he picked it up earlier after he ran out of ammo in his assault rifle he looks at the crew then. "When I kill one of the elites, attack."

"Yes, sir." They all said silently.

Ruby quickly looked down at her supplies. She was down to two spare clips for her sniper rifle and four for her assault rifle. She also had three frag grenades that one of the wounded marines gave her before being flown out by Foehammer.

It was then Chief threw a plasma grenade.

The Elite Major that talked to the Shipmaster turned to walk down the command ramp...but then a plasma grenade connected to his face. The Shipmaster saw this and kicks the major away from him as he exploded.

The Chief did not mean to get the Major but what's done is done as he and the marines began to shoot the bridge crew in the room. All the Elite's retaliated and fired back, but since they were caught off guard, more then a few were taken down quickly by the group. The rest took what little cover was available and fired back.

Ruby dashed towards the Shipmaster, Lat 'Ravamee as he takes out his energy sword to strike at the fast approaching Rose. Ruby avoids his strike with ease as she pulls out her combat knife and holds it in her left hand while her right carried her assault rifle.

Ruby then fires a few rounds at the Shipmaster before dodging another swipe of the blade of plasma. She then rushed forward and stabbed the elite shipmaster in the leg, breaking the Elites shields. Lat 'Ravamee grunts in pain but recovered and pulls his sword back for a stab at Ruby again, but Ruby avoids being skewered by backing up. The elite then tries to swipe at her legs but she, of course, avoided it again, this time surprising the Elite by vaulting over the Elite and landed behind it. Before Lat 'Ravamee had time to react Ruby jumps on the Elite and stabs him in the neck slicing open his windpipe, killing the Shipmaster within moments as he falls down dead.

Chief saw this after he killed another elite minor. Ruby Rose had just killed the Shipmaster of this Covenant ship. First, she took down the Elite Spec Ops by herself in closer quarters witha sniper rifle, and now she did it again a Covenant Shipmaster with a combat knife.

Shipmasters were individuals among the Covent that have earned their ranks in combat. But this one he seen was more of a command type of enemy since he noted that it's fighting style was a little sloppy then other high ranked Elites the Spartan had killed before, but nonetheless others in the UNSC he knew would be impressed that a 16-year-old managed to kill a shipmaster.

"Area clear sir." A marine said as he walks to the control penal and looks at them.

"This looks like the command center, the captain transponder signal is strong he must be close," Cortana says to Everyone.

One marine walks up the Chief and Ruby. "You two can go on ahead, this is a good area to hold up. Go retrieve the Captain while we stay here."

Ruby heard this of course...but she looks at the Shipmaster she just killed. Looking down at his hand it still clutched at his energy sword, prying it open, she picks it up turned it on.

Now that Ruby wasn't at risk of being killed with it, she had a closer looks at the blade that seemed to be made out of energy and was utterly amazed by it. Turning it back off, she clipped it in her suits belt to hold it...it could come in handy.

"Come on Ruby," Chief said getting Ruby attention as he began to walk down the halls to the prison area. "Get ready to meet the Captain."

Ruby runs next to Chief then and they both head down the halls, soon Ruby Rose will meet the Captain of the ship she was on when before when she first got onto this crazy war.

* * *

Note: here's the next chapter hope you all like it.

Also I like to thank Helljumper206 for helping me edit.


	10. Chapter 10

Captain Keys sat in his cell and observed what was happening on the other side of the energy shield that kept him and the others locked up. If he was honest with himself, it looked like the Covent soldiers were getting twitchy. If such a thing was possible.

On the other side of the shield, he sighted on two Elite Minors guarding his cell in the prison section of the ship. Looking out further he could see a few Marines locked in the other cells. He also counted nine other Elites, six minors, two black armored spec ops with the last one in fancy yellow armor...and Judging on the armor design and structure it was a General.

"So." Keys began catching the General's attention." Anything else your masters want to try on me to get me to speak Split jaw?" Keys asked the General in a sarcastic tone...which the General picked up.

Before the General could punish the prisoner for speaking to him in that way, one of the Minors that was near the cell hits the shield with his fist and speaks in his language. If Keys had to guess, the Minor was telling him to be silent while in an annoyed tone.

The General decided to leave the prisoner alone for now. He needed to check with his officers and the Shipmaster on how goes the hunt for the Human borders. Turning on his com unit, the General reached for the line to contact the Shipmaster. But for some unknown reason when he tried to contact Shipmast, he did not answer his call. This left the General confused as to why is that?

"Something troubling you General?" One Spec ops elite asked as he walks up to the General after seeing his confusion.

"The ship's ShipMasters is not answering my hailing frequency. " The General replied to his subordinate as he tries again to raise the Shipmaster all for it to not be picked up.

* * *

With Master Chief and Ruby, they had slowly been traveling down the ship corridors killing Covenant soldiers as they move on their way to the prison area where they were keeping Captain Keys along with others prisoner.

While she fought, Ruby kept wondering about her inevitable meeting with Keys. How should she Act towards him? She would figure she figure it out when she meets him.

"The Captain's implant is getting stronger. We're nearly there you two but be Ready there are Multiple guards in the Room," Cortana warns the two.

"Got it Cortana," Ruby Replies to the Hologram women as she loads her assault rifle. When they Reached the prison section, the door opened to reveal...nothing.

"Holding cells," Cortona said. "The Captain must be in one of them.

The Spartan walked over to the far end of the room towards a raised platform with a terminal. Ruby looked at all the cells when the shields went down. Looking around on her side all revealed them to be empty save one.

"Oh, Oum," Ruby whispered in horror. Inside was the corpse of what had been a Marien judging on the body armor. But his head was melted down to a burnt smudge. Ruby had to breath through her mouth to avoid the smell. She was a little startled when the Chief walked past her and crouched over the body. Ruby watched as he retrieved a set of dog tags off the fallen Marien.

"Continue searching, the Captains signal is still active. Find another cell block," Cortona told them.

They two quickly doubled back into the corridors and down the halls, killing another patrol in the process till they stumbled upon another cellblock, this time with guards.

They had yet to register that the door was open ant the Master Chief saw an opportunity on high ranking Elite with its back turned on him and rushed forward.  
The guards could only gawk in surprise as a demon appeared out of nowhere and rushed behind their General. Snapping his neck like it was nothing. That's when they reached and engaged their enemy only to be blindsided by bullets from the side to see a red cape wearing human.

One by one, each guard fell as the duo worked together. The Master Chief picked up the Generals fallen Plasma rifle to bring down the guards shields while Ruby brought them down to a permanent end.

Off in the cell, Marines and other crewmen cheered as their rescue had arrived to save them.

Seeing the last few enemies in the back part of the cell block, Ruby switches to her Sniper rifle and finish them off with a range of shots killing them all within a few seconds. When the gunfire ended she heard the cheering of the prisoners from in their cells and felt a little better about herself. She then walked over to where the Master Chief was at over by the cell control panel.

"So...which one here's captain Keys?" Ruby asks as she looks at everyone in their cells.

"You will meet him now," Chief answers as he goes to the control panel and it shuts down the energy shields to the cells, and he walks to the cell the Captain is in.

Then Ruby him, sitting on the floor in the cell.

He was battered, and bruised older man for sure with gray hair that was cut in a similar military fashin Ruby had seen other soldiers have. He wore a gray colored uniform with a few ribbons on his chest with a nameplate that said 'KEYS' Chief offered him a hand which Keys excepted as he was pulled up.

"Coming here was reckless, you two know better than this." Keys scolded but then he smiles. "Thanks."

He then began to leave the cell with Chief following him, and when they got out the cell, they saw the other marines in the cells were out as well as keys gave them an order. "Marines, lock and load your weapons. Let's be ready to move." All the Marines did what the captain told them ss they got the weapons of the dead aliens and when they were all armed. It was than Keys spotted Ruby. Keys had to blink a few times at her as he took in her appearance.

Despite what many other officers not bothering about recognizing everyone on their crew, Keys was different as he took the time to know the name and face of everyone on his ship. For it was he who handpicked them all for their original mission before the Covenant found Reach. He even took a moment to look at the files of the personnel they picked up from the evacuation.

This girl looking no more than fourteen or fifteen wearing marine body armor with a crimson red cloak on her shoulders was not one.

"And who might you be?" Keys asked in a neutral tone as he walked up to the little girl.

Ruby then raised her arm and did a salute as she speaks then "Hello, Captain! Sir!" Ruby says catching the Captain attention. "I am Ruby Rose Huntress in training...well used to be that and now a Marine to help however I can." Ruby finishes and by her look Chief, Keys, and Cortana could tell that she's probably feeling a little nervous.

"Okay...Chief." Keys says as he looks at the spartan. "Master Chief, when did a child get into this?"

"With what the Marines told me, she just came out of nowhere on the ship after we exited Slipspace," Chief told him. "Since finding her, she has been fighting alongside us every step of the way."

Keys Looks at Ruby who was still saluting but then he looks back at Master Chief. "And...she fighting too as well? Against the Covenant?" Chief nodded, Keys mind raced on this new info before asking another question. "How good is she...when she has to take a life?"

When Keys asked that Chief began to explain. "At first, she did not want to kill at all...but she got used to it she's uncomfortable still with taking lives and does not enjoy it, but she will take a life of one of the covenants if she has to she had killed a few. Also, recently on this mission to rescue you, Ruby was the one to kill the Shipmaster of this ship all on her own in CQC with a knife," he told them. The Marines that were locked up looked at the little girl in different levels of shock.

Keys was generally surprised at that and walk's up to Ruby. "I must admit...I am impressed by this miss Rose, as the Mast Chief isn't one to lie about these things if he can support this claim. You are a brave one that's for sure, and as a Captain of the UNSC, I thank you for your help. I'm also am grateful and in awe that you manage to kill a Shipmaster that's a hard feat to do." Keys said to Ruby in an impressed tone.

Ruby felt Honored that the Captain showed her so much respect she could hardly hold her excitement. "Well, I try my best to help however I can help sir, I know I might not be much but no matter what I'll do my best to help stop these aliens," Ruby says with a determined tone.

"Good to know." The Captain said before turning to the rest of the Marines. Keys began to speak on something important. "While the Covenant had us locked up in here, I overheard the guards talking about this ring world. They call it Halo."

Ruby wonder about that when they said halo she was thinking of a halo that was on a angels head...but that probably not what this halo is about.

"One moment, sir," Cortana said getting everyone's attention as she began to hack into the Covenants ships battle net to get info on this halo till she found it. "Accessing Covenant Battle net. According to the data in their networks, the ring has some kind of deep religious significance. If I'm analyzing this correctly...they believe that Halo is some kind of weapon. One with vast, unimaginable power."

Keyes nodded thoughtfully at this revelation. "The aliens who interrogated me kept saying that whoever controlled Halo controlled the fate of the universe."

"Now I see...I had intercepted a number of messages about a Covenant search team, scouting for a "Control Room." I thought they were looking for the bridge of a cruiser I damaged in the battle above the ring. But they must be looking for Halo's control room." Cortana now understood what the Covenant were currently doing in this unknown ring they were on.

"So it's a weapon then? A superweapon?" Ruby says as she was thinking on what was everyone's mind.

Keys had a very serious look now. "And that's bad news. If Halo is a weapon, and the Covenant gain control of it, they'll use it against us and wipe out the entire Human race."

Ruby paled at that thought. Her mind went to Remnant, of her family and friends along with everyone else she knew. Gone in a moment.

"Chief, Cortana. I have a new mission for you. We need to beat the Covenant to Halo's Control Room. Marines! Let's move!" Keys ordered the others before reaching down and preparing to pick up a needler before turning back to the Spartan. "Chief you on point, Miss Rose with me. I want to ask you a few questions when this mission is over." Keys ordered.

"OK sir," Ruby says seeing no problem with that.

* * *

The Elite Ultras and there superior the Elite Zealot. They were going through another route to get to the Bridge the Shipmaster was in. Since those doors, the humans used to escape from them locked out them out they had to double back and travel through several sections of the ship to get back at the humans that invaded their ship. They were now in the hanger and saw lots of bodies of their fallen brothers stain the floor.

"These vermin are weak! When we get to them, they will die by our hands." One Ultra said confidently eager to draw blood.

"Good, and the one I'll go after will be the Demon! His head will make a wonderful trophy!" Another ultra says.

"No," the Zealot says in a stern tone. "If you face the Demon you will die. They are the most dangerous foes the humans have to offer." The Zealot warns.

The Ultra speaks then. "Mraso'Haramai, demons can't be as powerful as you say."

The Zealot stopped and turns to the Ultra with a glare. "Have you ever seen what a Demon could do?"

"Ah no b-"

The Zealot Mraso'Haramai cuts him off yet again. "Have you SEEN one in person."

"No-no sir."

The zealot got close to him and looks at the Ultra still.

"I have seen what one can do. I've seen how many of us along with other forces one could be fallen alone by one Demon and I've seen what they're willing to do to when they have a mission to complete or cornered to survival." With that, the Zealot moves then as he continued walking to find the Humans. As he remembered his time when he saw last saw one of they're Spartan. The one he saw on the last world they fought on, Reach. She was all that was left, and the one killed many of his brothers on her own. It was unbelievable that the single Spartan survived for so long she did against so many.

There was also the female Human with the red cape. How she stood her ground against him and his blade. She had caught his interest, and he wanted to face her again.

* * *

Back with Ruby, they had just made it back to the bridge where she killed Shipmaster.

But when she walked in, she saw the rest of the rescue team of Marines lying dead. With a trio of silver armored elites there. Ruby saw that and leapt forward alongside the Master Chief firing her assault rifle and his plasma rifle at them. Their combined fire was soon joined by the others quickly silenced them.

"Cortana to Echo 419...We have the captain and need extraction on the double." Cortana said over the com.

"Negative Cortana! I have a flock of Banshees on my tail...and I can't seem to shake them. You'll be better off finding your own ride, sorry." The pilot's reply seemed to echo across the room affecting everyone in the room.

"Air support is cut of captain we need to hold here till she can move in," Cortana says to everyone on the room one marine panicked at this.

"Great! We're stuck inside of a Covenant ship...we're screwed man we're screwed!" As he said that Keys grew a little annoyed with the marine.

"Stow the bellyaching, soldier. Remember, you're a leatherneck. "He says as the soldier calms down then as he turns to Chief." Cortana, if you and the Chief can get us into one of those Covenant dropships, I can fly us out of here."

"Yes Captain," Cortana replied, "There's a Covenant ship docked below."

"Then what are we waiting for," Ruby said, much to everyone's grim amusement.

Before anything else could be said the doors then opened and out appeared several Covenant soldiers came rushing out, they were a security team that came to check in the shipmaster all to find him dead and the area having Humans in it that they tried to kill them then.

"Look out!" Ruby shouted as she pushes a nearby Marine out the way when the shot of a needle rifle shot almost hit the Marines head. "That was close you alright?"

"Yeah." The marine said gratefully." Thanks to you kid!"

There weren't too many of them as the UNSC group mowed them down before running through the door the security team came through. Another Covenant security team was about to go through to follow the Humans but was stopped when the Chief jammed the doors by ripping our the controls circuits, locking it.

"You knew I could have just programmed it shut, but you do live to do it things hard way huh?" Cortana says to the Chief who just shrugged.

They soon reached the troop bay, but it was heavily defended. Elites, Jackals and Grunts all were present at trying to kill the humans before they could escape. Ruby was going through clip after clip due to the number of enemies present. Even the Chief had run out of ammo in his stolen plasma rifle, having to pull out his pistol.

"If we're going," he called out, "we need to go now!"

Ruby used her semblance to do a teleport like effect to appear behind an Elite, who was guarding a holographic set of controls. She then grabbed him by the waist, and with a great heave with her aura strengthening her, threw him off the edge of the platform. She then noticed that the controls were in front of the freed dropship, which was connected to a clamp on the ceiling.

"Cortana!", she cried out, "do I need to press this to unlock the ship?"

"Yes! Great job", Cortana replied.

Ruby pressed the big marker on the controls, and the Dropship disconnected from the clamp. It then hovered towards her, opening its bay doors. Keyes, when he saw this, cried out, "Everyone mount up!", leading the Marines through the open bay doors.

"We're Home free!" One Marine yells as he ran to the alien ships and joins the other marine's on board. Ruby and Chief were about to board too, but before Ruby could she jumps away when a plasma blast almost took her head off. Both Ruby and Chief turn to see it was the Elite Ultras and Zealot that Ruby ran to earlier about to enter the room.

"Great! These guys again!" Ruby says agitated, she knows who these guys were she remembered when her team was almost killed by them an hour ago.

They saw the Elites were aiming at them, they also knew Keys needed a little time since he needed to a few moments to start the craft up.

"Wait I can help out with this!" Cortana Says as she access the door of the Covenant ship and she closed the door leaving the Zealot by himself and closing his Ultras were now locked behind the door. "There now you only have to kill one Zealot that should be-" before she could say more they heard the other door open and they saw two hunters run though. "Well...maybe not easy."

"Chief...I'll take care of the Red Elite you can handle the Hunters...since I think you have a better chance against them than me," Ruby suggested to the spartan he knows how dangerous Zealots were, but he had to agree her taking on the Zealot then the Hunters is a better choice.

"Very well but be careful, they are not to be underestimated," Chief says with concern for Ruby as she goes to face the Zealot.

Ruby only nodded before calmly walked in the direction of the Zealot.

The Zealot saw her and aims his weapon at her, but he did not pull the trigger. Looking with slight interest at what this little human would do.

It was then he saw the Human female slung her take over her back and pull out one of their energy swords.

Ruby was out of ammo in her other gun, so she decided to use the alien blade she took off the dead captain. Ruby wished she still had her scythe still. Even if she'd didn't have a way to restock her ammo it would still be useful as a close-range weapon and it was a weapon she was most comfortable with.

She did know the basics of how to use a sword, but the way this sword was shaped was going to throw her for a loop.

The Zealot looked at the blade for a moment before speaking. "Do you think this is wise Human?" He asked in an amused tone and speaking the language of the Humans. "Very well if you want to use a sword." He then takes out his energy sword he and Ruby glared at each other hard.

"Well good that there other aliens that speak Valeconien," Ruby says sarcastically.

The two then engaged each other with their swords. Their fight from a spectator standpoint looked like they may be equals, but the truth couldn't be far from the truth.

Ruby knew the Zealot was a better Swordsmen then herself but none the less was holding her own against the Zealot. Whenever the Elite was about to do a kill strike on her Ruby would use her aura to sidestep or jump out of the way. While this dragged on Ruby was feeling the days worth of fighting catch up to her. She may be fast, but her endurance was starting to reach its limit from all the fighting she's done for the last few hours.

The Zealot was about to do a kill strike on Ruby when she turned into Rose pedals then and was now behind the alien, and now tried to stab him.

Mraso'Haramai was stunned at what he witnessed but didn't let up as his instances screamed for him to block an attack from behind. The Zealot then blocks Ruby strike fast before following up with a kick her in the gut. Sending Ruby back sending her aura into the red. The Zealot then quickly ran at Ruby and reacted fast that she could to avoid his attempt to behead her. It seems that the Zealot wanted to kill her as quick as possible, but his next hit ruby blocks and now their blades were now locked.

Ruby was now pushing what reserves of aura she had left in this deadlock. She was built for speed! Not strength like Yang or Nora.

"You are strong for one so young, brave I will admit, and it's an admirable trait." The Zealot says as he slowly gained ground against Ruby as they were still glaring at the other while their blades were still locked.

"I don't need...A complaint from an enemy who only wants to watch a race burn." Ruby says gritting her teeth.

Ruby then broke the deadlock was about to attack the Zealot again with an underhand swing. But for the first time, she was too slow as the Elite delivered a sharp left hook to her chest. Ruby felt her sura shatter, and the air leaves her chest. Before she could react, the Elite makes another swiper with his sword at her chest. With her weapon out of the way and her aura down she could do nothing but watch as the stream of plasma ranked up her chest, through her armor and across her face, forcing pain the likes of which she'd never known before throughout her chest and body. It was even worse when the Zealot delivered another strong kick to her stomach making her fly back a few meters, sliding along the purple plated deck.

"In battle...always pay attention even when one speaks," Mraso'Haramai says as he then walks up to the fallen Rose, he was going to finish this...but was halted when a strong plasma blast was fired at him.

The Blast came from the alien Dropship keys got it to work. "GET HER IN NOW!" He ordered as two Marines jumped ship. They both took an arm of the down Rose and dragged her up onto the ship. With that said, Ruby held her wound on her chest, and she used her what little strength she had to move her legs up the dropship. The Zealot tried to shoot her but he missed, and they got in safely as the hatch closed.

As for Chief, he took care of the Hunters by making them fall off the edge one by one. When he tricked them into doing it by standing at the rim when he got them to make a melee attack on him before jumping out the way of there strikes making then fall to the bottom, with the Hunters taken care off he gets onboard the dropship. "Hang on!" Keyes said over the ship's internal radio.

As the dropship flew out of the hangar bay and into the open air outside the Truth and Reconciliation, Ruby collapsed against the wall before sliding down with a thud, exhausted physically and mentally from the entire mission. Twisting around, she saw the Cheif walking in her direction and crouched down to her.

Ruby could hear voices but couldn't understand what they were saying. She must be going into shock. She saw the Chief pull out a medkit and sat it down in front of her. Ruby smiled before closing her eyes and letting sleep overcome her.

As for the Zealot Mraso'Haramai, he watched as they Escaped, he knew there was right now nothing he could do to catch them now. Then an Elite Minor came as he was next to the Zealot. "Sir...the Shipmasters dead."

The Zealot did not mind that his superior was dead, he knew that his pride and his overconfidence would lead to his death But he was curious "Who killed him?"

the Minor checked the Recording before, so he knew. "It was the one with the Red cape...she killed him with a knife."

The Zealot was interested in this sure the shipmaster was not much of a fighter, but still, a little girl taking him down is very impressive. ...she might even in his opinion be as dangerous as a demon may be.

* * *

 **Note:** hope you all like the chap! Also i like to thank Helljumper 206 for helping me edit this.


	11. Chapter 11

On a mission to the The Piller of Autumn. The mission was simple to Lt. Mckay. Get to the crash site of the down cruiser. Retrieve as many crates supplies and munitions as she can. The forces that were brought with her had met the perimeter guard that the Covent had around the Autumn and decimated them with minimum casualties.

Mckay and her Marines were soon entered the Autumn, they sneaked their way into some areas of the down ship to avoid a few of the more heavily armed patrols until they could reach the armories. While she was doing this, her ODST's were guarding the incoming Pelicans as were coming in for the massive amounts of fuel and supplies that were storge within the ship.

Mckay had left orders for the Marines outside to do sweeps of the areas that the Pelicans were coming and going from. For the foreseeable future, those birds were their main lifeline for fast traveling and outmaneuvering the Covent on this ring.

Mckay snuck behind and snapped a Grunt's neck of the last Covenant patrol in their section of the ship. "Ok, that's the last of them...but let's hurry and get to the armory before more Covenant reinforcements arrive." She orders the Marines who nodded as they headed to one of the ships armories.

* * *

Meanwhile, in said Armory, there were two Grunts, one Jackle, and a young Elite. The Elite was looking over and around the armory. He viewed the human's weapons as worthless, and beneath him, he grabbed one assault rifles he looks at it with disgust before breaking it in half. Muttering how Human weapons were so primitive and pathetic in his native language.

As for the Grunts and Jackie, they were looking at an article of clothing that they weren't familiar with. It was black with some red on it they were and in a style that didn't make sense to them. The thing they were looking at was in it since they had never seen clothing like this before, was this a new human soldier uniform or something?

"What you think this is?" Grunt one asked Grunt two.

Grunt two had the article of clothing in his claws and shrugged. "Not sure...maybe it's a new type of- hey what's this?"

Grunt two pulled out something, it was wrapped up cookies, and they looked at it curiously it had the tag on it. Looking at it read 'Ruby's Cookies,' but neither Grunt understood human writing...so they could not read it. "Wow...I've never seen human things like these before?"

The Grunts looked at it for a while, not seeing any danger they unwrapped it as they looked at the cookies. "Maybe, we should test them if they are poison or something...but who to test them on?" Both the Grunts think...then they got an idea as they turned to the Jackel in the room. "Well you test those things called Whatever on him, and I'll look through this...clothing more." Grunt one agreed with two as he goes with the cookies to test them out.

The Jackel was just standing around, grazing over the scattered human junk. Thinking of ways to take back with him to make a profit. It then saw a grunt was looking at him and approaching him, so he just glared at him, grunt and Jackets did not like each other that much.

"Ah, hello," Grunt one says to the glaring Jackel. "Ah...I need you to see this."

When the Grunt held out a hand that had the cookies at them the Jackal grabbed them, it sniffed them for a while and looks at them, it looked at them for a few moments before eating a bit of one...then stuffing the rest of it along with all the others in its mouth. The Jackle was in love with the taste of cookies.

"Well...that answers what they are." Grunt two says as he saw the Jackal was eating the Cookies, it seemed to like them a lot.

As for the other Grunt, it pulled something out of Ruby clothed when he found it, he found a weird looking device which got him confused. In reality, it was Ruby's Scroll. The Grunt looked at its sides for a while before seeing a button on one side. Pressing it and he saw it turn on and fold out with a glowing screen. "Hmmm? What is this thing?" He said as when it turned on it said enter the password, and he saw the letters in the human language...which again he did not understand he noticed that it had Seven dots. "I wonder what I'm supposed to do?" He just pressed the same button, but the thing turned red and said the wrong password.

The other Grunt came back then and saw what his friend was doing. "The thing we gave the Jackal was just food, nothing dangerous...and he seems to really likes them, also what are you doing?" He asked.

"Just seeing what this thing is, but every time I touch the same number it screen turns red and says wrong." The Grunt replies.

The other Grunt watched for a while he decided to suggest something. "Maybe you need a password?" The Grunt says.

"Maybe, but what would it be?"

The Grunts think on this, but the other one then got an idea as he remembered the tag on the cookies, and he saw Seven dots Meaning it needs seven letters and the label on the wrapped up Cookies haves seven letters. "Do you remember what the latter's on that tag?" The other Grunt nodded. "Maybe that's the password." The other grunt then typed it in, and it was right.

"Ha! Stupid humans leaving their stupid password on their food!" The grunt says, but Ruby made the password 'Cookies' since she thought people would not believe she would make a password that easy so no one would cause it...but a grunt managed to figure it out by reading.

* * *

With the Marines, they were close to the armory, but they stopped when they heard...music?

"Do you hear that?" Mckay asked the other marines who nodded.

"Never knew the Covenant liked music." A marine says.

"It's coming from the armory, that way!" Another Marine pointed ahead, with that, they still headed towards it.

* * *

The Grunts managed to do one thing with Ruby scroll...they put on her favorite song, and both were listening to it, they kinda found this entertaining really.

"Wow...this sounds Cool!" Grunt one says as he began to do a little dance. Trying and failing to tap to the tone.

"Yeah! Indeed." Grunt two replied as he continued to listen.

Both tensed up when they heard Footsteps, they turned and saw there annoyed Elite superior. "What are you two doing?"

"Ah...just seeing this device that's all sir," the Grunt says nervously.

The elite was about to say something but was suddenly jumped by Mckay on his back and stabbed him in the neck he fell down dead then, the Jackal was about to shoot her, but a marine shot him in the head killing him, Mckey looks at the shaking Grunts then.

"Boo" when Mckay said that it frightened the grunts causing them to drop The scroll and scream and run.

"Well...that takes care of that...let's get some weapons and get out of here." A marine says.

"And this," Mckay said as she stopped the song from playing music by pressing the off button on the scroll, and picks up black skirt. Then a thought occurs to her about what Sargent Major Johnson told her earlier. "I think these belong to that girl with the cape, Ruby."

* * *

At Alpha Base, Ruby was being treated by what remand of the medical personnel of the Autumn and for the plasma wound she received on her chest that was deep, and the small one over her eye. She did not lose her eye nor will she lose sight in it, but she will have a scar on her face from the plasma, but it was easy to treat.

Right then, Ruby sutured on the cot she was on. Opening her eyes, she woke. Ruby felt some a little flare of pain in chest pain from when her aura failed. Looking down and lifting the blanket that covered her she saw the bandaged area where the sword struck her. She once again felt her chest burn but chose to ignore it. "Man...how long was I out for?" Ruby says as she groans, she also saw that she was just in her undergarments meaning whoever helped her ha do take off her clothes to see the wound...which sorta made her blush a little.

"About a day and a few hrs," a voice spoke making Ruby jump a little making her wilt in pain.

Ruby turns to see that a Marine, but with the symbol on her armor shows her as a medic. "Oh...ok."

"Also were lucky. Your wound will heal, and you can walk around the base...but you will need to give that injury time to heal so your off any missions for the foreseeable future. Also later when you're ready to go see The captain, he would like to talk to you." The medic informed her.

"Alright, I'll be OK with talking to him," Ruby says, but then she had to ask the medic a question. "Also thanks for patching me up..." she said blushing since she felt embarrassed that someone took off her clothes, to treat her chest wound and seal it up.

"No problem kid," the Marine medic says, Ruby just sighs at that then.

They then heard footsteps then, Ruby had wide eyes as she puts the blanket back over her, she did not want people to see her in her underwear. For who was walking in it was Mckay, she was holding some stuff with her.

"Hey Red," Mckay greeted.

"Hello Mckey, what are you doing here?" Ruby asked her curious about why she's here.

"Oh well, Just came back from the supply run on the Autumn. Found these in one of the armories that I was raiding and found these. Do they belong to you?" Mckay says as she brought out a bag and started pulling out and showed Ruby what she had, Ruby saw it was her clothing that she had hastily left at the Pillar of Autumn, there was also her scroll!

Ruby smiles at this. "Oh gosh! Thank you, Mckay! I am really grateful for this. I owe you one!" Ruby says glad to see her, but then Ruby remembered something...where did the medic put her cape, she turns to the medic then. "So...we're did you put my cape?"

The medic showed it to her, she had it safely in a box that had medic supplies. "I had it in this box, here you go."

When she handed it to Ruby everyone left to give her some privacy, Ruby looked at her stuff and smiled. She then began to sort through it all on and last part she put on was her cape, she then looks at her scroll then, she saw someone got her password right. Ruby stared in slight shock as it was unlocked, she thought no one could ever have guessed it, but someone did which was a little disappointing. So she made a mental note to change that later. Opening it up to the home screen she paused to look at a picture...that had her and her friends and her sister...she misses them dearly as she now had a sad smile. It may have physically been a few days, but it felt like months since she last saw them.

"I wonder how you all are doing now..." Ruby said as she lets a tear leak fall onto her scroll's screen, she then wipes the tear away and then turns it off before putting it away later.

She then sighs sadly. "I...I really hope you all are doing well...and I hope... you are all not too devastated...that I." She began to cry more as lots of tears leaked out and began to fall on the ground. "I...I...I'm gone...and I hope you all will...get over it eventually."

Outside the room was Sargent Johnson, he heard the whole thing and heard Ruby shedding her tears. The way she was talking about her friends and family, he knew personally about this depression well, and he knew that there's a good chance...and he hates to admit it that Ruby may never see them again. That's the sad truth in this war.

* * *

 **Note: I'll like to thank** Helljumper206 **for helping me Edit, also I hope you all like the chap! I decided to make this one a little Emotional for Ruby when she...knows she might never see her love ones again.**


	12. Chapter 12

On board the Truth and Reconciliation. The remaining Covenant forces were clearing away all the dead bodies that littered the hallways and corridors that the Human rescue team left. The ships Huragok were spread out fixing doors and terminals that the humans damage. The Crew of the Truth and Reconciliation were told they will get a new Captain who should be arriving in a few hours. This brought no joy to them, only the feeling of despair.

As for a Zealot named Mraso'Haramai, he was walking down the halls alone., lost in his thoughts. He walked around the ship to thinking of the events that happened on this very ship, wondering about the Demon the humans called a Spartan along with that unique human female with the red cape. Mraso was wondering if he were to meet them again in battle how would he deal with them? He can take one of them alone but was unsure about taking them both. He would need the backup for when facing the Demon, but as for the Cape female, despite her skill, he was sure he could take her alone again. If she still lives.

"No," whispered the Zealot. The look in her eyes was the one with a purpose. Something he has seen many humans and some of his own lacked. He will see her again, he was sure of it.

His thoughts were soon interrupted when a Minor called out to him. "Sir, the Phantom you requested is ready and waiting for your arrival," said the Elite said. he was respectful since he was only a Minor a low rank to a Zealot.

"Good, tell the troops to board and await my arrival, I'll be there soon enough." The Zealot orders.

The Elite minor nodded to his order and goes to get the troops to board for the Zealot, as the Zealot went back on his walk he heard some talking he looks to see two Elites were taking a severely injured Elite to a med bay, but the said Elite was talking like mad.

"Th-the Demon was a monster! It was a monster! Pure evil!" The Elite shouted talking crazy. From what the Zealot could tell he survived a human grenade thrown by the said Demon. He looked barely alive from the amount of blood that was visible over his body. He deduced that the weapon must have knocked the Elite out with the humans believing him dead. But not before he saw the Demon kill his comrades, he would not have done anything since he was too wounded at the time, but what that Demon did make this Elite fear his kind even more than most elites.

Mraso'Haramai just looked on as he watched the crazed Elite being taken away, Mraso'Haramai actually felt a small ping of pity for him since he too knows what it's like to Fear a demon. Not to that extent of what that Elite but enough to be careful if he was to ever face one...he still remembers that day on the human world they call Reach, when he killed one.

* * *

Flashback on the Time of the final Days of Reach.

At an area on what's left of Reach, four ODST's were walking having there guard up. Unknown to them an Elite Zealot spotted them and activates his energy blade, with that the Zealot jumps down and he Beheaded the Closest to him, the other ODST's saw this and aims at him.

"Die motherfucker!" One Helljumper yells as he was about to fire, but his shotgun was cut in half, and soon he was too. The other two ODST fired at him with there Assult, but the Zealot used his energy sword to block the bullets before he throws a Plasma Grenade at them. They avoided the blast but gave the Zealot enough time to quickly run to them and stabbed one through the chest killing him instantly. The other which was he identify as the leader was about to fight till but was soon grabbed by the neck the ODST was gripping a hand that was crushing his windpipe, all were killed by the Elites Energy blade but him, ODST was glaring at the Elite even if he was slowly being choked to Death.

"Yo-you think you Xeno basterds have won?" He manages to say. "You will never crush our spirit, w-we will fight till the last and make all of you pay for what you all done!" He said glaring still at him through his helmet.

Mraso'Haramai who was still gripping his neck said nothing at first, but Chuckles then. "Maybe that might be so...but also." A loud snap echoed through the air as he snapped the ODST neck, ending the humans' life, and dropping his lifeless body to the ground. "Maybe not."

The Zealot leaves the dead humans and walks out of the area. He was about to signal a nearby phantom for pickup when a transmission reached his ear. "Attention all forces, multiple Demons are present and located in sector 34G putting up heavy resistance, all forces that are near this region are to divert to the demon's location and eliminate it."

Haramai heard this, he was wondering what the Human Demons were like, he has seen some and supported Covenant forces in other engagements gun them down without any mercy, but he never has the one to kill one up front. He has seen some killed by shooting them with plasma weapons till they were dead, with that he heads to the area where he got the location was the Demons is so they can be one less of a nuisance in the universe.

Checking his map, he was indeed close to the area where the Demons were located. Looking up he could spot multiple Phantoms and Spirts diverting course to head to where the fight was happening. Seeing a nearby Ghost, he hopped on and began his travel towards glory.

Unknown to the Elite there was only one Demon left standing. But this Demon, this Spartan was different than others, she was killing lots of Covenants that cane at her with ease with no mercy all strikes with her weapons were without mercy to the beasts that destroyed her world.

She was getting tired. But not tired enough to not notice the Elite with an energy sword was running up from behind her. He was trying to come from behind to quickly end her life but avoids his strike before doing a solid tornado kick to the Elites face causing him to stumble back. He attempted another swing to cut her in half, but the Spartan grabbed his wrist and snapped its bone causing the Elite to roar in pain. The Spartan then head butts the Elite causing a crack to her helmet but made the Elite stumble back in shock, she then stabbed the Elite with its own sword killing it, she was breathing hard.

"That was For Jorge," She said. The Spartan was Noble 6 the last member of Noble team on Reach.

Since leaving the shipyards two days ago, she stumbled upon another group of Spartans that were left behind another mixture of III's from Alpha and Beta companies, totaling their number up to thirteen. Together they had been fighting nonstop against whatever the Covenant came at them with whatever they could scrounge up. And they fought together, between them left behind a trail of dead miles behind them.

Though they were victories, like the ancient Spartans, they were named after they began to fall one by one. Each making the hoard of invaders pay for their kill with a multitude of blood and bodies. Leaving only her.

The spartan sighs, her helmet was damaged because of that last headbutt. Looking it over, most of the systems in the HUD were broken. Looking around the area, she sees nothing but dead Covenant all over the place. Her remaining time stranded on Reach has made her killed a lot Covenant in many gruesome ways she showed no mercy since to her they were monsters and don't deserve it at all.

With that the Spartan leaves the area she was in, leaving behind nothing but the dead in her wake. Six walked down the wasteland that was once one of the most important planets within the UNSC. Now it was just a shell of its former self. All Six can do now was kill as many Covenant as she can. Everywhere she went, she was greeted with nothing but dead soldiers. When Comming up what looked like a communication tower, she found piles and piles of corpses of dead Covenant soldier surrounding a group of dead Spartans and Marines in what Six assumed died in a final last stand.

* * *

Reaching them, she stopped by each of them. Every one of them had nothing but empty guns and spent shell casings, showing her that they fired everything they had before falling to the enemy. Feelings of pride and sadness that they died in such a way. Sad that they had fallen but joy knowing that there was no other way a Spartan or Marine would like to go out.

Six thoughts stopped when she heard a battle roar nearby. Turning around to the source, she sees a group of elites looking at her, she glares them a glare of Death before activating the energy sword she stole.

"I'm ready for death...how about all of you." Noble Six says in defiance as she readies herself for what could be her final battle.

Thus Six rushed in to kill the Elites. Six was avoided a lot of there incoming attacks before striking them with her energy sword. Ducking under another swing of an energy sword. Stowing the stolen sword, Six takes out her shotgun she had and aims it at the Elites head, firing at its head making it come apart with its blood stane the ground. She then sidestepped past another while drawing her plasma blade and stabbed the Elite through the abdomen with her sword killing it.

This continues one by one of the elites were being killed, this Demon had lots of hate she was holding nothing back...not even her emotions.

All of it was seen by a single Zealot.

Mraso'Haramai watched from afar, he was shocked at this Demon's parolees. He had ditched his ghost and continued on foot where the battle was happening. He than journey past the scorns of dead Covenant soldiers, sometimes passing by a dead Demon.

Then he saw it. One Demon was killing many of his kind in a fashion that he had not seen since he was but a student under the sword masters on Sanghellios. The way the Demon moved, the way she fought around his brothers was like a dance of Death. He knew that there strong but this...this was ridiculous! One demon should not be able to perform in such a manner and take down this much of their forces on her own! For once...Mraso'Haramai actually felt...fear for the first time in many cycles. But he would not let that stop him, this Demon needs to die, and he will make sure of it. One way or another. So he activated his energy sword and moved forward.

As for Six she was getting overwhelmed and was getting tired as well. She finally had enough takes off her damaged helmet and throws her now empty energy sword away, it ran out of energy after that last kill. With her helmet off, she spots and picks up a nearby assault rifle and began shooting at an Elite Ultra that was Running at her. She manages to kill it after wasting half the clip on it but then spots an Elite General coming at her as he tries to stab her from behind. Six took out her combat knife and sticks it in the eye killing it instantly. Putting her knife away, more plasma was shot at her, so she fires at the elite, but then plasma from another Plasma rifle holding Elite came at her hitting her. It burned, but she ignored the pain, and with that, she takes out her pistol and used both her assault rifle and drawn pistol to kill an elite minor and Major. It was then a white colored Ultra had run up to her and shoved Six rudely to the ground, while she was on the ground the Ultra tried to stab her with an energy dagger but was kicked back by Six.

That was when Mraso'Haramai came in for the kill, he was there to end this as fast as possible. So he aims his energy sword at the Spartans heart, but Six rolls to avoid his strike before elbowing him in the face. Her hit to the Zealot made him stumble back and drop his sword.

The white Ultra runs back at Six with his energy dagger. Six tries to get out the way but, she felt the blade stabbed through the shoulder. Six had bit her lips in pain as she felt the Ultra applying force to his sword making it go into the ground under her. But that did not stop Six from Elbowing the last Elite Ultra in the face so hard that it snapped his neck ending the alien warrior's life.

But the Zealot did not waste any time as he activated his energy Dagger and lunged back at the down Demon.

Six looked back up at her foe as her eyes went wide when hot plasma stroked through her chest. She looked into her Killers eyes before coughing out blood. Mraso'Haramai stared at her for a while before pulling his blade out, even if she was a Demon the strike he did was a kill strike, she had no hope of surviving this. With the act finished he turned to walk away.

But he stops when he heard a chuckle, he turns to the dying spartan. "Well, never thought I would see the day when a Zealot had the look of fear in their eyes...one of the Covenants best units afraid of a lowly human like me." Six said tauntingly when she looked at the eyes of the Elite before he stabbed her...she saw that they were fear in his eyes actually.

Mraso'Haramai looks at the Spartan, even on Death's door she still has enough to taunt him that's respectable. "Your right...I was afraid of you." Mraso'Haramai answers her honestly and in human language as well.

Six just laughs still as she coughed up more blood but still retained that smile. "So...a Elite...that speaks English...that's also new!" She said still laughing at this. Six knows she was going to die because of her wounds, but she was going to say some final words before dying.

"You will join the rest of your kind that died here soon, hopefully, where ever vermin like you go, I hope you find peace." With that said the Zealot then walks away.

Six looks at the walking away Zealot, but soon turns to look at the sky then her vision was becoming a blur; it was almost her time. "I will be at peace and with my comrades soon enough..." she says as she started to close her eyes all the memories of her time of Reach flashed before her eyes, to her first time at Noble team till her Death. Six smiled, as she reached over and single her armors self destruct sequence before closing her eyes, she could finally rest.

As for the Zealot Mraso'Haramai, now that he has seen what the Human Demons, the Spartan, like this one could do, he now has a respect for them...but also a feat for then as well also will never underestimate one as long as he lives.

A minute later a flash appeared behind him, surprising him as a strong gust of wind, forced him to a knee. Looking back behind him, he saw nothing but a red mushroom-shaped cloud of where he just came from.

* * *

End of Flashback.

Mraso'Haramai arrived at the hanger where his Phantom waited for him. His troops were already onboard and ready for what came next. Soon as he boards the aircraft, the Phantom flew out the hanger, heading to a Forerunner area in a swamp-like area that a scout team had found that led to some kind of lab deeper into the ring. So they had called in for extra troops to secure the area and see what mysteries were inside it.

* * *

 **Note: I would like to thank** Helljumper206 **for helping me edit this.**

 **Also I hope you all like this chapter also fun fact Halo Reach is my favorite halo Game of the series I would have had Ruby be in the reach Timeline...but that would have led to some...let's say some problems so I picked Combat Evolved since I saw it as the best place to have Ruby be part of the UNSC.**


	13. Chapter 13

.Ruby stood before the Captain as she finished her report. Since Keys return, he assumed leadership over the remaining UNSC assets while Silva was now second in command. Ruby had had a talk with Keys and told him about herself, where she came from, how she got here, and what she's been doing for the Marines and the ship's crew.

It was a hard story for Keys to believe. But given the accounts of their resident Spartan, Cortana, and Welsly. He found her story to be true even if some of the things they had seen her do is to be true.

"Well, Miss Rose, I must admit what you told me is an interesting story that's for sure." The Captain said calmly. "I still have questions about your world, but I will hold them off for another time. Now other than that, how's that chest wound doing for you?" The Captain asked he was making sure how Ruby was feeling now

Ruby was trying to be on her best to stay calm, after all, she was speaking to a Captain...who reminded her of that military guy that led Atlas academy from her world. "It stings still sir, but I'll be fine sir," Ruby replied. If she was honest with herself, it still hurts worse than any injury she's ever received. Never had her aura failed her in such a way during a fight. Sure she had a few training injuries, but her aura had it healed up. Now she wasn't so sure.

Ruby's face and chest had healed a little but still felt like burn like she had fire Dust over a sunburn. But she won't let that stop her from helping the remaining soldiers here. She was a Huntress like her mother, like mother like daughter.

Keys could tell that Ruby was just holding out against the pain. With what that Covenant Zealot did to her was not something one can shake off. During the course of the war with the Covenant, he has seen many Marines that survived hits from their plasma weapons, and they all took them a while to heal. Both physically and mentally. But Plasma Swords, Keys knew that only a handful of Marines and Spartans that took on a hit from one of those and get back up. Despite the strength Keys could clearly see on the teen's face, he could see right through it.

"Kid, I like your determination, you are definitely skilled and a good shot. But Ruby, you need more time to recover what that Zealot did to you since when going on a mission, you will need to be on your best." Keys explained to Ruby, who crosses her arms.

"But sir! I heard from the Marines that this next mission is going to be important! I can't just sit back and relax while I'm sitting here playing games on my scroll while they risk their lives!" Ruby says trying to get the Captain to change his mind.

Keys just sighed, this girl is starting to give him flashbacks of when Meranda wanted to make adult desitions. The joys of being a single parent of a headstrong daughter. "Ruby, my choice is final. Return to the Medical tent and rest." Keys said sternly.

Ruby was annoyed by this, But she decided to listen. "Fin...sir," Ruby said in a not rude tone.

"Good." Keys said, now pleased. "Now Private Eric." Keys addressed to one of the Marines outside the room. "Please take Ruby back to the Medics so she can continue recovering."

"Yes, Sir." The Marine replied as he waited for the young Huntress to walk out and escort her to the Medics.

Keys waited till the two left before turning to Silva who was there as well with an amused smirk. "You handled that well."

"Comes with knowing how to deal with teenage girls. So, how're preparations for the assault going? And is the Pelicans readied with what they will need?" Keys commented before turning it over to the upcoming assault.

"They will be ready, sir. The Pelicans that were recovered from the ship are still being looked over for any system flaws but will be prepared for the mission. The fireteams assigned for the op are eager and ready for a fight also." Silva replies to the Captain. The plan Keys had was simple. He would send a UNSC assault force to a Covenant area they needed info from. They had intercepted a number of messages detailing about one of the unknown structures in the reagent, calling it a map room. It had caught the Captains, so they are sending a reasonable amount of ground forces to capture and learn of its importance. This also was important for the Chief's mission so he would be in charge of the operation when on the ground.  
Earlier before the plan, Silva told Keys that his ODST's could do the mission, but keys dismissed it. He knew full well of Silva displeasure of the Spartans and the history he has with them. He had talked about it with him and give his reason's why he was sending the Master Chief over the Helljumpers.

It was also later for his mission, he was going to an enemy location along with Sergeant Johnson with his team, and two additional fireteams to the facility that he assumed that had a remote Covenant supply depo that is located with some kind of swamp.

* * *

With the Pelicans they were being loaded, Sargent Johnson was in charge of having to overlook their preparation.

"Alright, Marines! Get your final checks done. With how we're doing, we should have this done in a few hours just in time for the upcoming operation, and we all know how those alien Basteredsl love our fireworks. Am I right Marines!" He asked, with his arms crossed.

"Sir! Yes! Sir!" The Marines all say as they loaded all sorts of weapons the Marines and the Chief to use to give the Covenant forces Hell.

Then a particular green armored super soldier entered the area. Chief sees everyone getting everything ready. This assault he knew was going to be critical with what Keys told him. He briefed him the plan, and Cortana said it sounded crazy, but she liked crazy.

Chief then walks up to Johnson then. "I assume the loading going well?." Chief said, getting the Sargent's attention.

"Of course it is Chief, well be ready before you need to head. Just make sure to give the alien b*** h when you get there Hell," Johnson requested as he took out a cigar and lits it up to smoke.

"Don't worry Johnson," Cortana says through his comlink. "The Chief will make sure of it. He always does," Cortana reassures since ever since she read the Chief's personnel file, he always gives the job done.

Johnson puffed out some smoke and smirked. "Good to hear ma'm," Johnson says as he then walks away going back to work with the pelicans.

* * *

With Ruby, she was in now laying on one of the cots Medic tents yet again. She was a little angry right now for not doing anything, and the pain on her chest wasn't helping her with matters. She wanted to go help the Chief and the Captain. But was told no, and now stuck in this tent. Ruby felt like if she just stayed around and rested, she would only be letting people die if she was not there to help them.

"I can't just stay here and do nothing!" Ruby said as she got up ignoring the flare in her chest and began passing back and forth. "If I don't do anything, I'll never forgive myself! I don't care if I'm wounded, I'll help them however I can!" Ruby said still talking to herself. Looking around, she took some water that was left for her and jugs it. "I will go, even if they don't like it...I don't care what the Captain ordered me to do, I'm going!"

After Ruby said that, she looks at her New Marine uniform left for her by the medic, she then smiled as a plan forms in her head. Grabbing her bag, she stuffed whatever belongings she had along with her signature clock into the bag. Ruby decided if she was going to go with everyone, she was going to sneak aboard a pelican to go on the assault with the marines. "Oh man if Weiss saw me do this, she sure would scold me!" Ruby said chuckling as she imagined Weiss reaction, and with that, she then began to get her new uniform on while humming. She was already given a new set of battle armor to replace the old one as well as a new helmet and weapons along with the ammo for them.

* * *

Hours later, Marines began boarding the Pelicans. The assault was going to start, and Ruby wasn't going to miss it. Ruby spotted two Pelicans that soldiers were boarding and saw the Chief getting on the first Pelican. Seeing an opportunity, she rushed in and boarded the second one.

As Ruby entered the Pelican's troop bay, she had a black balaclava mask covering her nose and mouth to hid her facial features so no one would guess it was her and passed as another Marine. Being the last one onboard she sat in one of the seats closest to the troop bay door.

"Alright everyone, set down and get ready." A voice that belonged to the Pilot of the Pelican said. "And you better enjoy the ride there since we all know to be ready for hot plasma!" With that said the Pilot closed the hatch of the Pelican and soon they were lifted off out of the landing pad heading towards the enemy-infested area along with the other pelicans.

One of which Ruby was holding her chest a little with her free hand over the area where she felt her a slight burn. Feeling like this would be a long flight, Ruby chose to close her eye to rest for a bit. Feeling like she will need as much as she can for the upcoming fight.

* * *

Note: Well, here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy it also I would like to give cradit to Helljumper206 for helping me edit this chapter.


	14. Chapter 14

**The Silent Cartographer**.

At a Covenant outpost, They were lots of Covenant forces on the beach that had forerunner structures on it, the structures also had crucial information that trying to get out of it. For one Sangheili, however, looks out towards the rings horizon and sees four human aerial transports approaching. Seeing that a fight approaching, he kicks the nearest Unggoy up since he knows a battle is about to come.

With the UNSC pelicans, Ruby was awoken from her nap by the Marine next to her, saying they were nearly there. She thanked the soldier and began looking over her gear. Taking a glance at the others, Ruby noticed that she was the only person with a sniper rifle instead of the assault rifle like everyone else was carrying. It was then she heard the voice Cortana speaking to everyone through their com's who was briefing them. "The Covenant believe that what they call "The Silent Cartographer" is somewhere under this island. The Cartographer is a map room that will lead us to Halo's Control Center. The island has multiple structures and installations. One of them contains the map room."

Hearing this, Ruby knew that she had to be on top of her game and needed to give it her all. This mission was critical, and she did not want to let anyone down.

"Alright, Marines! Give the Covenant hell! Fill them with led!" Announced the Pelican's Pilot.  
The beach came into view, with it being defended by numerous Covenant Soldiers, but thankfully no Shade turrets. Ruby was almost caught off guard when the Marine across from her, the squad Sargent going by the stripes on his chest, fired his assault rifle out of the bay and killed a grunt that was near where their landing. All the Marines got their weapons as they all were eager to Kill the alien forces on the beach as the Pelican landed and every last Marine in ran out as they fired at the Covenant forces on the beach that were firing plasma back at them.

As for the other pelican Chief and some marines came out of that one and fired at the forces.  
He paused for a quick survey of the landscape before raising his rifle and proceeding to fire upon an unfortunate Elite, who quickly fell under the weight of his bullets. But as Chief was gunning down aliens he saw Ruby...even with armor on he can tell that's her for a few reasons. One, she's the smallest female soldier here, the only one carrying an assault pack, and sniper rifle. "Great...she's here."

Cortana knew who Chief meant as she then speaks. "Well, with what we have seen of her, we shouldn't be surprised that she disobeyed orders from the captain."

Chief just sighs, after this he is going to have a talk with Ruby when this is done, he then used his assault rifle and rattles a group of grunts with bullets killing them.

'I'm getting the hang of this now,' Ruby thought to herself as she was shooting up some covenant forces as well while ignoring the minor pain in her chest. Her nap on the flight had recharged her aura and was working on repairing her body, and the pain was slowly going away as she headshots one alien after the other...but she noticed a plasma grenade being thrown her way.

The Marine that was standing near her did. "Look out!" He called out quickly and pushed Ruby out the way, the grenade landed on him instead. When the grenade detonated, the blast through the young huntress a few feet away. When she looked back in shock, all that remained of the Marine was scorched earth, pieces of body armor and a discarded helmet.

"No..." Ruby said in horror. She could have avoided the grenade with ease...but the Marine that saved her didn't know that, or knew who she was her with her mask off...that Marine died because of her. Ruby grits her teeth, anger building up in her as she got up quickly and glared at the Elite who through it. Unsheathing her combat knife, she used her semblance to ran at the offending Elite fast as it was trying to shoot at the mass of rose petals. With the force of a speeding car, she tackles the alien to the ground with her knife in his neck, killing it. A few nearby grunts that witness the act panicked as they turned to and flee. Only to turn to the awaiting fire of several Marines that advanced behind Ruby.

Ruby withdrew her knife from the fresh corpse her and pulled her pistol out. She wasn't going to be left out of the fight.

Within ten minutes, the Covenant Forces were wiped out, and this segment of the beach was secured. As the Marines spread out across the area next to a massive construct that protruded out of a large cliff and connected with the beachside.

"Echo 419 inbound." Foehammer's cheerful voice came over the com, making Ruby j*** her head at the incoming Pelican. "Did someone order a Warthog?"

"Didn't know you made house calls Foehammer?" Replied a gruff sounding Sargent.

"You know our motto, we deliver," the Pilot replied as she drops a Warthog down on the beach before flying away.

Chief began walking to the Warthog...but stops looks back at Ruby. "Come on, Ruby."

Ruby looks at Chief with surprise. "W-what?! You know it was me?"

Chief just looks at her. "Your the smallest person I know on this planet and the only one I've ever known that leaves a trail of rose petals when running super fast," Chief says...but then he told Ruby something. "And once this mission is done, we're going to have a talk." Chief finished.

He then points a thumb over to the gun turret, directing her towards it. She hopped up to it while a Marine took shotgun. The Chief waited until a Marine had jumped in before pressing the pedal hard and driving the Warthog forward, making Ruby grip the turret at the speed they were going.

Ruby wasn't looking forward to the talk Chief was talking about. Her thoughts on this didn't linger long as they encountered a small troupe of Covenant. Ruby the turret swiveled in the direction of two Jackals and opened fire. The turret fired rounds much faster than the Assault Rifle, overwhelming the Jackals quickly.

It took barely a minute to mop up the rest of the Covenant troupe, with the Chief easily dodging the Covenant shots with the Warthog's speed and his driving experience. They moved on, driving up a steep path where, in the distance to the left, was an open area, where a structure protruded out of a cliff face. Around it was Covenant troops, and a single Covenant Dropship, which flew off just as it came into view.

"There! In the cliff face!", Cortana spoke out over the Comm, "I'll bet the Silent Cartographer is somewhere inside that facility."

"How are we going to get around them?" The sole Marine asked the Chief as he stopped the Warthog out of view of the Covenant Defenders.  
"Ruby with me," The Chief ordered as he left the hog and headed to a set of rocks. Ruby and the Marine had gone out and followed behind.

When she got where the super soldier was at, she realized why. The spot was in a good view of most of the area that allowed her an excellent use of her sniper rifle. Looking up at the Chief, he gave the go ahead with a nod. With that, she preached her sniper rifle on a log and began going to town. As the Chief and the other Marine went back to the Warthog.

At the Structure that Chief was Heading to the Yellow Elite Zealot, there was getting a transmission from his forces outside.

"Commander! The humans are heading towards the structure! The Dem-" before the Zealot could hear the last thing the said Elite was about to say, gunfire was heard on the transmission and the elite dying cries.

The Zealot growled as he turns to the Hunters that were with him. "Head outside and kill them, bring me there heads." The Yellow Zealot ordered.

Both the Hunters nodded and leave then while the Zealot stays in the structure to let his minions do his dirty work.

With Chief he continued running down the covenant forces, there blood smearing on the Warthog while Ruby continued to snipe down many forces down that came into view. But saw the Marine the Chief was with getting hit in the shoulder by a needle from a needle rifle.

"Soldier, are you okay?" Ruby said over the com.

"I'm fine, kid!" The Marine manages to say. "Just keep shooting we got a mission to accomplish!" The Marine says.

"Okay!" Ruby says as she went back to shooting down the covenant forces again as they head to the structure that had two Hunters waiting for them.

"Of course they sent them," Cortana says as she sighs.

Unfortunately, none of them noticed the cannon blast that hit the Warthog, throwing them off the edge of the platform. It was during the time when all two of the occupants were thrown out of the Warthog.

Ruby could only stare in horror as one of the hunters dropped down from the structure, landed firmly on its feet, and marched forward.

The Marine jumped to his feet and threw a grenade at the Hunter, only to stop and stare as the Hunter was not harmed by it. He tried to back away, firing his assault rifle, but the Hunter leapt towards him, only to fall headfirst into the ground at the sound of a sniper shot.

The Marine followed the sniper trail to where Ruby was standing. He released a breath he didn't know he was holding and gave a thumbs up to the girl. The Chief saw the shot and was again impressed by Ruby's talent.

He then flipped the Warthog back on all four tires, with him at the wheel and the Marine on the turret. The other Hunter tried to fire back, but the Marine on the turret killed it after a barrage of bullets.

"Chief, I do not see Covenant anymore outside," Ruby informed him.

"Affirmative. Move towards the structure," Chief ordered. The Chief aimed the vehicle to drive straight inside the hallway that extended back towards the face of the cliff, though it was a tight fit. This enabled the Gunner to open fire at the Covenant troops inside, while the Chief ran one of them down, crushing the Elite's body with one of the wheels sending blood and body parts flying everywhere.

When the last of the enemy soldier fell was when Ruby appeared with her pistol out and sniper rifle on her back.

"Well...looks like we cleared the area okay let's go!" Ruby said as she along with Chief and the Marine head with their assault rifle then as they headed into the forerunner structure walking by several dead Covenant soldiers as they went further inside.

Cortana noticed that lots of the Covenant forces inside were really putting up a fierce fight. "The Covenant are putting up a real fight! The Cartographer must be here. My analysis indicates that the map room should be on the bottom floor of this facility. Let's keep going inside," Cortana says.

The three made their way through a series of ramps and dark hallways before arrived at a small chamber below, where several aliens stood guard before a small porthole with a single Elite Zealot inside.

As soon as the Zealot spotted them, it instantly growled out some orders, and the other aliens began to shoot at the tree humans. While the Chief focused fire on the two Elites that were in the chamber, Ruby and the Marine decided to fire at the three grunts.

Cortana saw a Zealot was running to the door. "Don't let them lock the door!"

The Zealot got to the other side of the door and was about to lock it...but was tackled down fast. The Elite kicked Ruby of him and turns to her...but Ruby had a smile and points to his chest the Zealot was confused for a little then looks...and had wide eyes when it saw an activate grenade on him. Before he could roar in rage, the weapon went off, leaving only his legs behind.

"Good job, Ruby!" Ruby looks to see Chief walk in along with the Marine, Cortana was the one who was talking out the Chief's speakers. "That Elite almost locked the door...which is impressive that he knows how to use it. I really got to give the Covenant intelligence a little more respect. Still, if you had not stopped him, we would not have had enough firepower to break through and would have had to find another way in." This made Ruby blush a bit.

"So it's a good thing I came along then!" Ruby said, smiling. As for Chief, he did not say anything and just walks down the hall the Marine and Ruby following him of course.

Warily, the Chief turned to the right and walked right to the edge of a massive shaft. Ruby gasped as she saw how far the shaft went, which was to say, looked endless. At the edge of a platform, the Chief kicked a small object down into the shaft, waited a moment, then walked away with the Marine trailing behind him.

Meanwhile, Ruby was entranced by the engraved metal that was everywhere. It was almost as if the metal was not just metal, but a metal-stone hybrid, as evidenced by the patterns in the metal and how parts of it were chipped from age. 'If metal could be chipped, just how old is this place?' Was the question inside her mind. Oh, how she wanted to test the metals out in a forge and see what she could make them. Maybe even make a new scythe!

The thought of her missing sweetheart made her feel down. Despite the situation with ammunition and lack of Dust for Crescent Rose's rifle mode, her scythe would have been useful when she faced that Zealot back on the Truth and Reconciliation.

However, this was not the time, nor the place for it, as she heard the very distant sounds of Grunts. She looked at the Chief, who had raised his rifle because he had also heard the noise. They moved onwards, through a room with two levels, and a small object that looked more like an altar. Inside were sleeping Grunts, and a single Elite, who had its back towards them.

Ruby and the Marine went to raise their pistol and rifle but stopped when the Chief put his hand up in a fist. He moved up to behind the Elite, slowly while crouched, until he was only a millimeter distance. Then stood straight, grabbed the neck of the Elite, and twisted it round in a swift movement, breaking it with a striking' snap.' He lowered the body down to the floor gently, not to wake up the grunts, then proceeded to kill them while they slept in a stealthy manner.

Ruby watched it with a combination of horror and, much to her chagrin, intrigue. However, watching him complete his unenviable task, she did not notice a door on the upper level open. A pair of Jackals walked through and cried out as they saw the three of them, waking up the remaining Grunts, who jumped up with a sense of fury and started to fire their pistols and needlers at the intruders.

"Shit," Ruby swore duly as she ducked around the altar to avoid the tracking shots of a needler. When the pink needles passed, raised up and fired her pistol at the grunts, killing the three of them.

She looked around and saw the Chief kill the Jackals with ease, but it was too late. Already, she could hear Covenant reinforcements heading their way.

* * *

At another area of Halo.

A Elite was on a cliff and He looked out over the cliff in with a thoughtful look.

There stood a gold armor Sangheili, armor shining brightly as the sun reflected off him. And he was investigating something that caught his notice. He was informed by one of his ships that the Human ship they were chasing had a Demon onboard.

Having remembered the last time he came face to face one of the human's Demons before in single combat. They were indeed a force that needed to be dealt with. But that wasn't the only thing on his mind. No, it was another that caught his query.

When they found one of the sacred rings of the prophecy, and that a human ship was heading for it he couldn't risk firing at it lest his ships missed the humans and hit the sacred ring. He sent boarding craft with the intent of disabling the ship. Only for the vessel to outmaneuver his and crash on the ring.

Before the human ship crashed into the ring, he received a few strange reports from the border crews. There were of course reports of fights with the Demon that one Decan confirmed that was on board while it saved one of the boarder's leaders that nearly fell at the hands of said Demon.

No, it was about another human, one that wore strange clothing and carried an even strangers weapon.

At first, the Sangheili merely dismissed it. After the capture of the ships Shipmaster, he would have figured that the Humans demises would be swift and they resort to cowardly tactics to survive. He had left their destruction to one of the Shipmasters under his command.

But like many before him, he had underestimated the Human tenacity to live and had paid the price with his life when the Humans staged a rescue for their Shipmaster. The Human team being led by the Demon and the strangely dressed human. When reviewing the footage recovered from Truth and Reconciliation, he saw the two that caused such irk.

The Demon was like the one he faced before. Big by human standards and head to toe in armor. While the last one he faced was black and gray, this one was black and green. Like all the Demons, it was deadly and fought with the efficiency of its namesake.

Then there was the other, a young female of the humans much to his surprise. He had always found it a bit interesting that humans allowed their female to fight alongside the men. Long before the Covenant, several keeps had allowed their female to fight alongside their males. This female wore the body armor of the usual soldier. "Marines" as they are called. But this one wore a long crimson cloak. And when he received a closer look of her face, he noticed her eye color was shining silver color. A color that was unlike any human he had come across. He also saw that she carried the usual weapons other humans carried. And displayed skills in combat like veteran Sangheili major and stood firm against one of his Zealots.

Having learned of this, he investigated any reports that mentioned this human. That search led to where he was standing now.

He had taken a Spirit and a team of rangers to search the area. Officially he was just taking a moment to admire the sacred ring. Unofficially he wanted to learn of this potential threat.

For the past hour, he and his rangers had searched the area. They found five long-abandoned human escape pods that came from their ship. Strip off any useful materials and supplies and left nothing behind. All that was left behind was the signs of battle that happened.

It was there the Sangheili found several bodies of their fellow brethren, Kin-yar, and Unggoy being sliced open with something big. After looking through the pods' locations, he was here at the last place that was reported this female was at before the rescue attempted.

Looking behind him on the ground was one of the human soldiers that were slain. Killed by a type one energy sword impalement straight through the back. An honourless kill.

Despite many of his brethren wishes and views. He despised such ways of combat. Believing that will bring dishonor to his race and culture.

Looking to the left, the fallen body of another Sangheili Miner, this one carrying a sword that was more than likely the one that killed that human over. But he died differently than any other soldier. Where the others that were shot with the Human weapons or died similarly as the others. This one had a savage stab wound in the Minors neck.

His eyes drifted back over the cliff as he thought about this. His mind began to wander as he thought he may have overthought such matter.

It was then his eye caught something down below the cliff. A reflection of metal that was not there before. He was needed on his ship, but his curiosity needed to be satisfied. Signaling the dropship, he and his Rangers flew to where the Golden Sangheili had seen this reflection.

Having landed he directed his troops to search the surrounding area for anything of merit. After nearly five minutes of searching, one of his rangers found something he could not explain and sent his location.

When he arrived to see what the Ranger had found, his eyes widened in surprise. It was like some kind of human weapon, similar to something of their long-range weapons. Its color was different as well, instead of the steel gray that standard human weapons have this was as red as the strange humans cloak. Meaning this may indeed be hers then.

He picked it up and began examining it. Upon lifting it, he got the feeling that this was indeed a human-made weapon but not in the same as the others. No, this one was indeed different. Unlike the others that gave off a meaningless feeling of detachment, similar to that of the last and only time he picked up a Brutes weapon. This gave him the same sense as when the first sword that he crafted in his Keeps forges so long ago. Just like that, like the sword he had on his hip, this is a custom weapon made by its wielder.

A true warrior's weapon.

To feel this feeling from a human weapon of all things brought an inner conflict. On one side where his faith was telling me that this was a heretic weapon that needed to be destroyed.

While his honor as a Sangheili told him differently.

He was brought out of his inner debate when his hand brushed up against a mechanism and the weapon shift in his hands. He almost dropped in surprise and now was in a box-like frame. A weapon that shifts in the user's hands, maybe? His attention soon peaked, with his Rangers gathered around him to examine the red weapon with him.

Pressing the same trigger again did do anything but when he squeezed another trigger under the other one, the weapon to unfold itself till it was back in its shape from before. But it didn't stop there.

The weapon shifted further as his Ranger took a step back. Along hook-like, double-pronged, jagged blade at the bottom of the shaft sprang forth from the back end. The area underneath the barrel out under and a large blade folded out a revealed the dried blood of his brethren to all. When it was done shifting around, he brought it up to eye level and shifted it in his hands.

Feeling the weight in his hand, it was distributed easily on both sides. From his mind, he could tell this weapon needed to be used in wide swings that will prove devastating to whoever was on the receiving end. A warrior's weapon, indeed.

"Return to the ship. We are going back to the Seeker of Truth. I have much to think about," Thel Vadam said as he pushed the trigger that returned the weapon back to its box mode.

* * *

At the room the Cartographer was in, They were some covenant forces in, but it seems they did not know what was going on since they were not panicking it giving orders to the grunts that were asleep.

"I'll Take care of them, you two stay here," Chief said. "Guard the area and don't let anything through."

"Yes, sir." Both Ruby and the Marine said as they stayed where they were and guarded the area behind them.

As with that Chief left then taking out his assault rifle, they waited there was silence...then gunfire was heard from the spartan and Covenant. "Man...I almost feel bad for the Covenant." The Marine said as he hears the sound of a grunt screaming being silenced by an explosion.

"Yap," Ruby replied.

As the two waited for Chief to return, the Marine decided to start up a conversation with Ruby. "So, you disobeyed orders, huh?" The Marine asked as he held his rifle at the low ready.

"Well...yeah. I guess I did," Ruby replies as she rubs the back of her helmet covered head. "I thought about coming with you all even while I was in the medic tent, even as I was wounded, I could still help, even if I'm wounded, I won't back down."

"Okay, well, I understand that but just so you know, every time you disobey an order from a superior officer, especially from a well-respected Captain like Keys to always have a good reason for it." The Marine said in a serious tone which Ruby nodded to, this Marine may understanding of her actions...but others would not be and would not be as nice, heck even Chief was a little angry with her.

* * *

At the area with the Marines outside the structure on the other side of the island, one marine using the scope of a sniper spots something coming.

"We got company!" The Marine yelled.

The Sargent hears this and takes the sniper and looks, he saw that it was six Covenant Dropships, the Covenant must have called for help. "Shit! Alright everyone, get ready we are going to half to fight the Covenants back up." He said all the Marine agreed as four marines got Rocket launchers and fired, all the rockets headed to one of the covenants dropships and when they hit it went down as it took lots of damage.

"Foehammer to Ground team: You've got two Covenant Dropships coming fast." The Sargent recognized the next voice as the leader of the Marines at the beach "Okay people, we got company coming. Engage enemy forces on sight."

* * *

Back at the area were Chief is, he snapped a grunt's neck, he continued to head to his directive, but Cortana was told that the ground teams were trying to contact him. "Chief! Multiple Covenant dropships are inbound on our position! We're going to try to hold them off as long as we can!"

Cortana hearing this decided to suggest something. "It would be easier to hold them off inside the structure, can you get inside?" Cortana asked, but soon heard gunfire, meaning the covenant dropships already dropped off there troops and a firefight was happening.

"Negative! There already here, negative! Chief, we'll hold them off as long as we can, find the Cartographer!" Said the Marine to Cortana on the com.

"Give them hell marine," Cortana said as she cuts the transmission as she talks to Chief. "We'll be in a tight spot if we don't get out of here before the covenant arrives, let's find that map."

"Agreed," Chief said, and he duked when a plasma grenade was thrown at him, but since he duked instead of hitting him...it landed on another Grunt that screams before he exploded Chief turned around to the other Grunt that thrown the plasma grenade, the said Grunt was frozen in place since he accidentally blows up his own partner.

"Oops." The Grunt says before Chief shoots it in the head, killing it.

After killing the last of the Covenant forces, Chief saw the Cartographer, be gassed that was it since an elite tried to defend it, so with it found Chief let Cortana do her thing then as she gains data from this. The images on the hologram began as she sees the forerunner schematics on the halo ring "Analyzing. Halo's Control Center is located there. That structure appears to be some sort of temple or shrine if I've interpreted this correctly. Interesting. A shrine is an unlikely place to put such a significant installation." Chief was about to leave soon...but something got Cortana attention. "Wait!" Chief stopped as he wondered what Cortana got now. "There's some more info on this."

"What is it? is it important, if not were leaving," Chief asked, sure any info was useful, but right now they needed to get to halos control room before the Covenant does, and he sees that as more important?

"Well no it has nothing to do with the mission...but it's something that you would want to see," Cortana said as she did something as the hologram instead of showing the halos schematics it showed a human being.

Chief looks at it for a second but then speaks. "So, the alien race who made this structure put data on humans?" Chief asked.

"Well, not just that," Cortana said, and soon an image of another human was on...but this one was a human...with animal ears on it which got Chief confused now.

"What the?" Chief says now confused, did the beings mired humans and animals or something.  
"Cortana, what is this?" He asked, now curious.

"That, I'm not sure of." Cortana answers. "Some of the info of this thing has been erased, the Covenant must have tried to erase the data for this and the info on halo but only seemed to erase the info on these...strange beings."

As much as Chief was curious about it, he decided to just go. "Whatever that info was about, it doesn't matter right now the only thing we got to do is stop the covenant from getting to the control room," Chief said as Cortana agreed as she began to contact the Captain.

"Cortana to Captain Keyes."

There was a moment silence until Foehammer's voice came over the comm. "The Captain has dropped out of contact, Cortana. His ship may be out of range or maybe having equipment problems."

"Keep trying," Cortana replied, "Let me know when you re-establish contact. And then tell him that the Master Chief and I have determined the location of the Control Centre."

"We'll be heading there as soon as we're topside."

"Roger, Foehammer out." The Pilot said as she ends the transmission.

"Looks like we won't be dropping Ruby off at base than," Chief said as Cortana just smirked.

"Well, you did say that we got no time much and we got to get to the control room as quickly as possible," Cortana said a little mockingly.

Soon they were back, and as they got back to Ruby and the Marine, Ruby speaks to them. "So, how did the mission go? Did you get it?" Ruby asked Chief who just nodded to her. "Good! Well let's hurry out then, don't want to keep the Marines outside waiting."

Chief decided to tell her the bad news later, he did not need her to break down right now.  
They went back the same way they came. They were some Covenant forces that came in, but they were not much, so they were easy to deal with...well almost since when they went back to the area were the Pelican was coming outside the facility on the platform. Where they saw several Elites disappear before their eyes that they now had to deal with.

"I hate stealth Elites!" The Marine said clearly annoyed as he fired his assault rifle at the last place he saw plasma come from one of the Elites, he managed to kill one as the now dead Elite falls off the platform.

As for Ruby, she took out her energy sword, she decided to keep it since Elites liked fighting CQC as much as Yang does. While also she liked the way it looked and that it made Elites angry when she held it out. They tried to shoot her, but Ruby cut them down with minimum effort with her sword. When they wanted to kill her, it gave her a way to know where they are and made it easier to cut them down. "Well, that's the last of them." Then Chief shot a gun at her direction, next to her Ruby turned around to see that he shot an elite in the head, it unlocked as it falls down on the metal floor dead. "Ah...thanks Chief."

Turns to look at the Marine that was with them to see if he was alright only for her eyes widened in shock before turning to sadness. There, slumped along the ground between two bodies of Eittes.

The Chief saw this, walked past the saddened girl, reached down, and retrieved the Marines tags and ammo.

A Pelican Dropship flew towards them, the bay doors opening, allowing the Chief and Ruby to jump aboard. "Let's get moving. FoeHammer. Here are coordinates and a flight plan I've worked out."

Foehammer looks at them when she got them but had wide eyes then. "Uh, Cortana...! These coordinates are underground!"

Just to reassure the Pilot, she speaks again to her. "The Covenant did a thorough seismic scan. My analysis shows that Halo is honeycombed with deep tunnels, which circle the whole ring."

"I hope your analysis is on-the-money, Cortana. This Pelican won't turn on a dime" the pilot wars as it heads to one of the tunnels.

"Look on the bright side, Foe Hammer: The last thing the Covenant will expect is an aerial insertion...from underground," Cortana says.

As for Ruby, before they head to the said tunnel, Ruby had something to ask. "Hey, shouldn't we go back to pick up the other marines on the beach."

"They're gone, Ruby," Chief simple said.

"Oh," Ruby said, looking down sad right now. The look Chief saw was something he'd seen a thousand times. He was accustomed to seeing them but still didn't like it either. Reaching out, he laid a hand on her shoulder, regaining her attention. He noticed her looking at him and gave her a quick nod.

"Good job out there."

Ruby blinked as she stared into the reflective visor of the Chief's helmet and smiles, Thanks Chief." She replied. No feeling a bit better about herself.

"We're still going to have that talk," The Master Chief said. Making Ruby blink a few times to what he was meaning before their earlier conversation at the beach came to mind. Instead of sighing like she would ordinarily do at being lectured, she laughed.

* * *

With the Marine forces, they were all dead all there bodies dead on the beach, blood was in lots of places all the Marines were either dead or wounded, but one elite gave an order for that to the jackals. "Do what you want with the survivors."

The Jackals that were there decided all followed the order as they sniffed out the ones still alive and gathered the wounded Marines and instead of killing them the Jackals mauled them to death slowly and painfully while biting chunks out of them.

Elite walks away he looks in the air and growls he knew they had failed, so they have to report to there masters about this while he was ignoring the Marines screams as the Jackals kill them off.

* * *

 **Note: Well heres the next chapter and so far this ones the longest, also i like to give thanks to** **Helljumper206 who helped out with this chapter and I hope you people liked the surprise in the chap.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Assault on the control room.**

Four hours. That's how long we have been flying in silence as we flew through Halo's underground tunneling network. Along with being scolded by Chief on following orders. When he was done the two traveled in silence. Ruby tried to pass the time by either sleeping in her seat or by looking out the Pelican bay doors, but her mind was still distracted by the scolding and looking out at the tunnels got boring after a while.

Ruby was starting to get antsy from sitting in one spot for so long, and the silence from the super-soldier wasn't helping in the slightest. Finally, Ruby had had it with it and broke the silence.

"Chief, I know what I did was reckless, but if I had not come stuff would have been harder right? Heck, even Cortana said I was a big help." Ruby said to the Spartan.

"Yes, you were I admit, but you were ordered by the Captain to stay at the Alpha Base. You were wounded by the plasma sword yet you still came, what if your injuries have gotten you killed or worse." Chief replied before they were silent again.

Ruby looks down then. "Look Chief I'm sorry OK but, as I said before, I can't just stay back and relax as other people are fighting I'm a huntress." Ruby then rubs the back of her head. "Well...Huntress to be and huntress are supposed to help people however they can. I had I stayed behind it would go against everything I believe in...and against all my mom would believe in." Ruby remembered on what her father had told her about her mom about how she would always help people no matter what and Ruby wanted to be a person who would make her mom proud and be a strong huntress.

When Chief heard Ruby mentioned her mother from her tone of voice, he probably could take a gauss that she was a substantial influence on the young lady. As she wipes a tear away from her eye as well, Chief looks at her for a second, and he then puts a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "I may not have met her, but I'm sure she would be proud of you."

When Chief said that Cortana found that very adorable actually and slightly surprised. Most of the Spartans in the mark two program were generally antisocial towards non-Spartans outside of combat. Seeing her Spartan interact with this young girl proved to be an exciting development in the super soldier's behavior. The A.I. wondered what would Dr. Halsey think about her favorite if she saw this. As for Ruby, she smiles at Master Chief, her smile really can melt someone's heart. "Thanks, Chief," Ruby says, still smiling.

Ruby then opened up her backpack and took out her red cloak and threw it over her shoulders. She felt naked without it and wanted it back on. Ruby then started going over her weapons and ammo.

The Chief saw that and smiled slightly under his helmet. He had an unknown feeling creep up in his heart. At first, he thought that he contracted something that bypassed his suits filters before he finally recognized it. Pride. When was the last time he felt that? Before the war most likely.

Chief got up from his seat and went over to the ships wall locker. Opening it up he pulled one of the assault rifles off the rack along with several magazines and handed them both to Ruby. "We will most likely be fighting in close quarters, and your sniper rifle wouldn't be much use. Take this." Ruby wordlessly accept it and loads the ammo in her pouches.

Ruby slung her sniper rifle on her back, her cloak covering most of it. She still had her M6D pistol on her side and admitted to feeling a little heavy carrying everything. Ruby decided to lose her backpack the held her corset in it. As much as she likes the combat skirt, it wasn't meant for taking on plasma, and the cloth was only weighing her down. The only things Ruby took that she still had from Remnet were her scroll, and her mother's silver rose emblem. Ruby wondered if she could play her music over the speakers in her helmet? It held a lot of her music and wouldn't mind putting some on.

Ruby's thoughts were interrupted as Foehammer's voice came over the radio while the bay doors opened, revealing a platform where Grunts were running to a large door to escape the Pelican. "This is as far as I can go!"

"Roger that. We can find our way to the Control Center from here." Cortana replies as Chief and Ruby walked to the edge of the ramp, they saw that grunts were running through the doors, leaving a pair of shade turrets unmanned.

"Good luck. Foehammer out." Foehammer said.

"Good luck to you to Foehammer," Ruby says as she puts her helmet back on, she and Chief then get off the Pelican and jump on the platform along with Chief as Foehammer flies away, leaving the two of them alone.

As for Chief and Ruby they soon were met with an Elite major with the grunts who called for him, he fired at them. The two humans split in separate directions while firing their assault rifles. Their combined power was quick to drain its shields before getting shredded. The grunts that were with him panicked that their leader was dead, they were mowed down too.

After the last Grunt went down, they waited for a moment to see if any reinforcements were coming. Seeing nor hearing none, he raised his rifle and walked through the large door. It opened, revealing a short corridor, with an arrow embedded on the floor. Suspicious, he looked back at Ruby, who stood behind him.

"Stay vigilant," he warned. Ruby nodded, and together, they walked through the corridor, and into a large circular room, with the center surrounded on most sides by another wall. Throughout the room were Covenant Troops, who looked bored out of their minds. However, they got the last bit of excitement in their lives as the Chief threw a grenade into the largest group.

Waiting a moment after the explosion and seeing the remaining Covenant troops scatter in both shock and fear, the Chief moved in, killing any Covenant that survived. After the last Grunt fell to the floor, both he and Ruby moved on through the next door.  
What was behind the door was almost an exact repeat of the corridor and room they were in. For a second, the Chief thought that he had deja vu moment. As the room was cleared out, Cortana couldn't help but make a quick comment.

"The Covenant presence here is stronger than I anticipated. They seem to have the entire region secured." Cortona said over their helmets.

When Ruby heard Cortana say that, she decided to talk to her then "Well, with how much we're forming a resistance against them and had infiltrated one of their ships. I think they want to make sure they don't lose anything else in this place." Ruby says as she reloads her assault rifle.

"Agreed." Chief nodded with Ruby's assessment along with Cortana.

They made their way through the second room, and unexpectedly, at the end of another corridor, they exited out onto a large bridge in the middle of the cold open air, with snow falling into every crevice or space it could. A barrier partially blocked some of the views of the bridge, but the Chief could see beams of light that served in the place of suspension cables.

Ruby saw the enemy Grunts were sleeping by unmanned shade turrets, but Ruby also noticed it was snowing as well, which kinda confused her since a few hours ago before they went into a tunnel it was sunny and warm like Summer, but now all of a sudden it's snowing like they were in the middle of Winter?

The Chief acted quickly to neutralize them before they could wake up silently. They died without making a single sound. With their rear now covered, the Chief peered over the edge of the barrier and spotted multiple enemies scattered throughout the bridge.

Cortana just realized this "Interesting... the weather patterns here seem natural, not artificial. I wonder if the ring's environment systems are malfunctioning... or if the designers wanted the installation to have inclement weather." She said as Ruby and Chief were about to start a firefight.

But Ruby still heard what Cortana said and was about to ask something, but then, Ruby saw something coming. "A pelican!" She said in surprise.

Chief saw it too and watched as the dropship flies over the bridge while trailing smoke from one of its rear engines. Immediately, all of the Covenant on the bridge, some of which were asleep, all jumped up and started firing at the Pelican.

Ruby saw weird looking ships after it as well, she did not know those were banshees one of the Covenants assault ships, But Chief knew what they were. Ruby and Chief then saw the Pelican get shot out, causing more damage to the dropship.

A comlink came then, then soon, the survivors of the crash were trying to call for help. It was the Sergeant of the team or survivors "This is Fire Team Zulu requesting immediate assistance from any UNSC forces. Does anyone copy, Over!"

Ruby eyes lit up. She was glad to hear about survivors as she turns to look at Chief. "They're alive! We need to go help them before the Covenant kills them all!" Ruby says in a begging tone, she really wanted to save those marines.

"We will try Ruby," Chief says to Ruby. "Cortana, Contact them now."

Cortana did as Chief said as she contacts the Marines COM "Cortana to Fire Team Zulu, I read you. Fire Team Zulu, this is Cortana. Hold position. We're on our way."

"Roger that. Make it quick" the Sargent may have said it a little rashly, but he was relieved that help was on the way.

With that said Cortana turns off the com. "We better hurry if we want to save any of them." She says. To which they both agreed.

'So much for the element of surprise,' he thought to himself as one of the Elites on the bridge noticed that the shade turrets did not fire on the Pelican and was striding over to investigate. Deciding on preemptively attacking, the Chief jumped into the nearest Shade turret, and sent a volley of plasma bolts to the Elite, killing it under a hail of shots. He moved on to mowing down the nearest group of Grunts.

'Where is Ruby?' he wondered after noticing the teen's absence, only to be answered by a single Elite, who ran out to face him, being knifed in the back. Ruby's red cloak was blown to the side by a gust of wind, making her seen by several Covenant Troops. They fired at the young huntress only to watch her disappear in a flurry of rose petals. Only to appear behind them and get mowed down in a spray of assault rifle fire.

The Chief smiled. While the Covenant tried to compensate for Ruby's semblance, they had made it easier for him to kill them, being so close together in a large bunch. As Ruby soon went back to the Chief as he racked up kill after kill of Covenant soldiers.

"Nice job confusing them," he told her as he finally stopped firing the Shade turret after the surviving Covenant fled back behind cover on the other side of the bridge. Ruby blushed at the phrase as she fired the remainder of her clip at the alien soldiers.

He jumped out of the Shade turret and started to make his way through the bridge, with Ruby following suit. The surviving Covenant decided that their best tactic was to attack the pair all at once, and came running out of their hiding spots, plasma weapons firing as they ran.

The pair took cover and fired at the others attackers in a crossfire. As the last Covenant soldier dropped to the ground, dead, the doors at the other side of the bridge opened up, and the sounds of boots running across the metal surface echoed across the icy wind of the canyon on which the bridge connected. Worried at how he could not see what had come out of the door, due to the barrier blocking his view, the Chief held up his hand, motioning for Ruby to hang back, while he cautiously walked forward, weapon raised with his eyes focusing both on what was in front of him, and the red blips on his motion tracker.

His caution was soon rewarded as an Elite Zealot vaulted over the barrier, attempting to skewer the Chief with its energy sword. The Chief jumped back, narrowly avoiding the tip of the sword, before kicking the Elite in the chest as it tried to move closer. He opened fire at the Zealot, hitting it with a full volley of automatic fire from his rifle. The Zealot took it all without a single flinch, pulling out a plasma rifle with its non-sword arm, and fired back at the Chief, whittling his shields down to a fraction of its max strength.

Ruby, seeing Chief's shields taking a big hit, ran to the side and drew her sniper rifle before firing a single shot at the Zealot. The shot thru the Zealot off balance while also destroying the remainder of its shields. Seeing the opportunity, Chief switched to his pistol and fired a single round at the Zealots head, killing it instantly as it slumped to the floor.

* * *

With Fireteam Zulu, they were about eight Marines that survived the crash, The Sargent got his assault rifle while one of the Marines got the Rocket launcher and the others got other weapons, they were a tank near up...but it was upside down so they can't use it to defend themselves and the pilots were dead as well.

"Alright, everyone!" The Sergeant of fire team Zulu calls out. "We've got reinforcements nearby being sent our way, so we will half to hold out till they get here, do you understand!"

"Yes, sir!" They all said weapons ready.

"Good." The Sergeant says as he turns his head and he sees Covenant forces coming at them most likely to kill the survivors off. "Since here they come." He then turns to the rocket holding marine. "Kelly, shoot down any covenant Vehicle you see with whatever ammo is left in that thing, make every shot count. The rest of us will deal with the Covenant foot soldiers coming at is."

The Rocket Marine, Kelly, nodded to the order as he aims it, he aimed it at a ghost that was approaching and fired. It hits and destroying the vehicle and killing the driver. But there was more than that as more Ghosts came along with covenant foot soldiers...and worse a Wraith as well.

"We're going to F*** die..." one marine says feeling some fear right now, but before he could say anything else, a green plasma shot hit him in the face killing him instantly.

The one who shot him was an Elite Major who fired at him with it from long range, and he was next to a Wraith, he pointed at the Marines location and ordered it to fire on them.

* * *

With Ruby and Chief, they had cleared the next couple of rooms they were headed down to where the marines were. After clearing through more rooms, they went through another set of doors and found they were back outside to the snow-filled canyon. Where they saw a group of Marines, most likely Fireteam Zulu were taking cover near a group of thin trees, near the wreckage of their Pelican and an overturned Warthog. On the other side of the area were multiple squads of Covenant, along with two Shade Turret and, much to the Chief's chagrin, a Wraith Mortar Tank.

The Chief heard Ruby gasp in both horror and awe as they witnessed the Wraith fire a single plasma mortar at the entrenched Marines, its arc carrying it high in the air before descending downwards and colliding with the ground, melting snow, sending broken shards of some trees flying everywhere and vaporizing the body of an unfortunate Marine. Fortunately, the majority of the Marines scattered out of the blast zone, but into the fire of the nearest Shade Turret.

"Go Help the Marines with the foot soldiers," Chief says as he fired his pistol at a grunt in a shade turret that was next to him In the head killing him, he looks at the Wraith then. "I'll handle the Wraith."

Ruby nodded, with what she saw of Chief, who right now she saw as one of the most awesome people she has ever met, she knows Chief could take the Wraith on how own. "Yes sir!'" With that Ruby used her speed to run to team Zulu, as she did, she takes out her energy sword as she saw the Covenant coming dangerously close to them.

"What the hell is that girl thinking!?"

One of the Marines of fire team Zulu that was wounded saw the Sargent ran out from cover. He looked over his own to see why and saw a marine with a red cape running at the Covenant infantry with one of their plasma swords in hand. He had to blink a few times at what he was seeing because that wasn't something one witnesses in a battle.

The Sargent saw them first when they exited the door at the far end of the canyon. A bonafide Spartan had come to help them. It was more than he could ask for and watch him board a Shad and fired on the Wrath that was hammering their position. He then saw a young marine that was with him with an unauthorized article of clothing run out at the enemy with a Covenant plasma sword in hand ran to get her as he got to her. Against his better judgment, he left his cover so he could drag her back to cover, but he stops when he heard the unmistakable voice of an Elite nearby and felt pain on his side. Looking up from his spot he sees the alien warrior was aiming a plasma rifle at his head, he spoke in his alien tongue...but if the Sargent had to gauss, the Elite was saying Human filth.

"Fuck...you." the Sargent simply said, if he was about to die, he would accept his fate without fear.

The Elite was about to fire as the Sargent while he glared back at it without showing any fear...but the shot never came as the Elite falls down dead... cut in half, the Sargent looked with wide eyes and disbelief as the one who saves him was the girl that he ran out to get. The Irony wasn't lost to him as she and another marine dragged to safety.

"Glad I got here in time," Ruby said with a smile as she turned off her energy sword and switched to her sniper.

"Yeah...thanks, kid." The Sergeant says gratefully to Ruby as he got the female marine to safety.

"No Problem, now come on, let's beat these guys!" Ruby says as she joined the Marines in fire upon the alien foot soldiers...with Ruby helping they were actually beating back the Covenant infantry.

As for Master Chief, he was dealing with the Wraith. He avoids its blasts since one hit from the massive alien tank would kill him on the instant it hits him. He was also avoiding the gunners' shots as well. Chief shoots the Grunt gunner on the Wraith dead with his pistol leaving the WWraith gunnerless as the dead gunner went limp on the turret that was now just firing randomly.

The Wraith then tried to ram the Master Chief when he got close but Chief got out the way fast, the WWraith turns around to face Chief again...only to see Chief was not there much to the surprise and confusion of the Elite who looks...but then heard something was being forcefully open he looks up to see it was the lid...and what ripped it open was the demon that got him to have wide eyes.

Instead of Shooting the elite Chief simply took out a frag grenade and drops it in, before the Elite could do anything Chief shut the lid and jammed it shut he then jumps off it fast as it explodes from the inside killing the Elite along with destroying the Wraith.

"Nice," Cortana commented.

Chief doesn't comment as he makes his way over to Ruby and the marines. It didn't take long for him to reach them as he sees Ruby and the Marines moping up the last of the Covenant in the area. Reaching them, he sees that four of the Marines were still alive and gathered around an overturned Warthog.

"Good job, kid," Chief says congratulating Ruby.

Ruby just smiled. "Thanks, sir."

After the small talk with Ruby Chief saw a warthog flipped down, he walks to it then and flips it over on the right side after putting lots of effort into it. "Get on, your going to be the gunner Ruby." Chief orders.

Ruby just nodded as she gets into the gunner seat while one of the Marines jumped in the passenger seat with the rest roughing it from behind.

* * *

 **Well, here's the Next chap of this fanfic, I like to thank my partner Helljumper206 for helping me edit this.**

 **Also hope to see what you think.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chief jumped the Warthog over a small gap and spotted another group of marines with a tank engaged by Covenant with ghosts pouring in from the side. Deciding to assist them, he angled the Warthog for a better angel and heard Ruby's fire the Warthogs turret at the Covenant forces near the group of marines by the tank. Punching it into fourth gear, Chief sends the hog forward into a formation of Grunts running over a few.

"Take that you split jawed basterds!" The Marine at the passenger seat said as he fires at a nearby Elite, it shields went down from the automatic gunfire before killed it.

After a few minutes of fighting with two more Marines falling, the area had been cleared of Covenant troops. The Sargent in charge of Marines in the area walked over to the Chief and his crew. "Thanks for the help Chief, you all hadn't arrived in the time that you did it would've done for."

"You're welcome!" Ruby replied from the back of her turret as she waved at the Sargent. When the Sargent and the Marines looked over at the young teen with a red cape, more than a few raised an eyebrow at her before turning their attention back at Chief.

"Sargent" Chief began. "Do any of you have anyone that is armored certified for that Scorpion tank?" Chief asked. The Sargent shook his head and explained that the man that was supposed to operate the heavy armor unit died when their pelican crashed. Turning his head towards the said crash, he saw a lot of equipment and a few bodies of Marines around. It seems not all was trained to drive a tank, judging by two dead bodies of Marines with dome-shaped helmets they must have been the tank's operators. "Take what ammo assault gear you can from the pelican. When we move out, I'll take control of the tank, one of you will take the Warthog and provide close support." Chief orders as all the marines did what he said.

Seeing everyone getting ready, she jumped off the turret and followed the super soldier and watched him jump in the tank.

Chief noticed Ruby above the tank and became examining every piece of it with renewed child-like fascination that he raised an eyebrow behind his visor. Cortona, on the other hand, found it amusing.

"You need something, Ruby?" Chief asked.

"What is this thing?" She asked the two.

Chief tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Do they not have heavy assault vehicles where you are from, Ruby?" Cortona question.

"The Atlas military dose have their Paladin Mechs. I even fought one of them before, and they are tough. But my team and I took it down with our awesome teamwork!" Ruby boldly proclaimed before she bent over the super solder. "Anyway, how can you even sit in there?" she asked, "It's so cramped..."

"It's big enough for one person, even of my size," the Chief said, sitting back inside to drive the Scorpion. He noticed Ruby sitting right next to the hatch, though she was not obscuring his vision through the tinted windows.

A couple of minutes later after Ruby and Cortona exchanged a few more questions, the Huntress went back and hopped back on the turret. Many Marines went over to the Chiefs tank to either man the machine gun or ride on one of its tread coverings, for Ruby's Warthog that she was doing a once over with the turret. One Marine ran up to the Warthog and set himself in the driver's seat, but before they drove, Ruby asked him something. "You are a good driver, right?" Ruby asked to make sure.

"I know how to drive." The Marine replies, not really answering her question.

With that, they drove off, and now their numbers were increased, they now have several Marines in toe behind them. They quickly entered another area where they encountered another Wraith, and more Covenant forces infantry waiting for them. They were about to shoot the Warthog Ruby was on, but then the tank Chief is driving fired destroying the wraith destroying it, making the alien Forces panic now.

"Nice shooting Chief!" Ruby cheerfully said before following suit and shooting at a group of Covenant infantry with the turret, mowing them down alongside with the Chiefs tank.

"Tanks really do change the tides of a battle!" A Marine on the tank said

The Scorpion tank slowly rumbled forward, its heavyweight preventing any fast movement from the tank. As they continued through the wide canyon, a pair of ghosts came out of the woodwork, bearing down on the tank. The plasma bolts that the Ghosts shot out of their frontal cannons did little to damage the tank, with the Chief simply swiveling the turret around to face the nearest Ghost, and fired a single round at where the Ghost was heading, hitting and destroying it with a huge explosion.

The second Ghost turned around and tried to flee, but the Marine sitting on the side pulled out a rocket launcher, and fired it at the Ghost, destroying it. The tank rumbled on, as it ignored the burnt wreckage as they were traveling through the canyon.

After a few minutes of traveling through the canyon, killing Covenant whenever they could, the group in the Scorpion found an entrance to a large tunnel, similar to the smaller one that the Chief had found when he was searching for the scattered Marines in the crash area. Which also led him to find Ruby, Chief briefly thought in amusement if he will encounter another teenager with powers similar to the redhead on the other side.

But soon two Hunters ran out then to try to deal with the human forces, but they were taking out in only a few seconds when Chief fired at them killing them with only one shot from the tanks shell.

"Tank beats Hunter!" Ruby said joyfully, a small relief of not having to fight those heavily armored aliens again. They were hard to deal with already, and getting hit by one would leave her sore for a while. But with that, the road inside the alien-like tunnel were they had met more covenant forces inside.

Even in a wide-open area, they were in. They lost two marines that were on the tank. One due to a ghost and the other a stray plasma shot, but they manage to kill all the covenant forces crossed the cavern and exits into another tunnel to the way out.

Unknown to them, a Spec ops Elite that was still alive and unclocked, it watched ad they left he knew he did not have a chance in beating them, but he did to make a transmission to a dropship and gave the pilot the location as well to cut them off and ambush the group as well.

* * *

At the Seeker of Truth At the Covenant lead ship, the Fleet Master Thel Vadamee put the unknown human weapon in his private quarters. He would deal with it at a later date as his attention was needed elsewhere, but before he could continue, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps and his door being knocked, hitting the key for passage his door open to see a Zealot walk in.

"Fleet Master, your presence is needed...Tartarus wishes to speak to you." The Zealot informs Thel he turns to him, Thel had an annoyed look.

"Very well... I'll be there, momentarily." Thel replied, the Zealot nodded and then left. Thel then sets the human weapon on a nearby table and head off to the command section of his ship were he sees a hologram of Tartarus who had his arms crossed, when he got close enough he and Tartarus glared at one another. "What is it you want Tartarus?"

The Jiralhanae Chieftain just smirked. "Just checking to make sure your incompetent race did not mess anything with the sacred ring," Tartarus snarked earning a death glare from Thel which he found amusing.

"Everything is under control on the ring. It will be ready for when the Prophets and High Charity arrive here themselves." Thel says as the Brute just chuckles then.

"Of course, but to make sure maybe I should send a few of my troops there, they could be more then happy to...make sure you do your job right," Tartarus said in an almost mocking tone that made Thel clenched his fists.

"That will not be necessary Tartarus, I and my forces can handle all the preparations. Yours are unneeded," Thel answers the Brute who still had that smug smirk on his face.

"Very well, Elite," Tartarus says as the transmission ended, Thel stands for a few more seconds before walking off to plan on how to deal with the human vermin on the sacred ring before the Prophets arrive

* * *

Back with the Marines on Halo

Ruby felt like they were on a roll with how many Covenant they were taking down. With her Warthog providing a distraction by providing hit and runs strikes while the Chief's tank finishing them off had been a great one-two punch in taking them all down. Being with the Chief had been great with the little reaper as they still blasted all the Covenant forces that were in their way. She felt the two of them really were a good team. Soon they come across another squad of Marines in need of help as a pair of hunters were chasing them.

"I thought the Covenant had eliminated all the Marine forces in this area?" Cortana says a little surprised.

Chief did not say anything as he angled the turret at the hunters and sending a pair of shells, killing them both on each impact and saving the squad of Marines. Said men looked over and saw the tank before sending a few cheers and sighs of relief at the armor support. One of the Marines, a Sargent, ran over to where the tank parked and waited and watched as the Master Chief disembarked from the tank.

"Well, thank god you made it!" The Sargent says in relief before saluting. "Sargent Stacker, 79 infantry battalion, 3rd company. Damn glad to see you, Chief."

The Warthog Ruby was riding in came down with the remaining Marines they had saved, but time did not seem on there side as another Spirit was coming. "Look, sharp boys! Enemy dropship inbound, let's move!"

Another Marine shouted and pointed at some Covenant forces were coming our of a cave behind then, but the aliens soon took cover when Ruby fired the turret at them, but a Marine still yelled out. "The Covenant are dropping in behind us! We're trapped!"

Sargent Stacker looked at two Marines that had rockets, and then tank Chief brought with and had an idea. "Everyone with a launcher, fire at that dropship!"

Complying all the forces with rocket launchers and Chief who was in the tank stopped and fired all at the spirit. It seemed to work as it plummets downward from all the damage it received as something important was hit. The troop transport veered off and rammed against the canyon wall and exploded with all its troops inside, more than likely killing everyone inside.

"Good thinking, Sargent!" Cortana complements.

"Thank you, ma'am." Sargent Stacker says with a smirk.

As with the Covenant forces in the cave, they were quickly taken care of as well with the help of the Chiefs tank. Seeing that there's no room for there tank or worth to get in, everyone on them got off them.

"Well, it looks like we're going on foot," Ruby says as she gets her weapon ready.

A Marine spoke up then. "Whoa there, kid! The Covenant are up ahead and dug in those rocks! They'll cut us down if we go that way!"

As Cortana heard this, she spoke to Chief, "We need to get up this ridge." The Chief merely nodded slightly in agreement as he reloads his Assult rifle. Cortana then spoke to the Marines, "Marines, hold your positions. We'll handle those guns.

"I'm in no hurry for a heroic charge on those guns, Cortana. Holding position." The Marine Sargent says, complying with the order.

Cortana then went back to talking to the Master Chief. "Master Chief, we should scale the ridge and get below those stationary guns."

"Roger that, come on, Ruby," Chief says as he grabs a rocket launcher ammo from a nearby fallen marine and walks over to the cave.

"What?" Ruby says as she got a teasing smile. "You want me to come and not tell me to stay here?"

"I learned while my time with you, you won't listen even if I told you to stay." Chief simply said as Ruby just chuckles along with Cortana.

As they got close to the cave, Chief raised a hand to tell Ruby to wait. Ruby wondered why he did that till he pulled out a grenade. Ruby understood the idea as she watched Chief throws the grenade in the cave. A moment later, the roar of an Elite was heard before the explosion of the grenade drowned it out. They then walked in and pasted the dead remains of spec ops elite.  
"Man, I bet Nora would like you," Ruby says, and yet again, Chief had no idea who that is.

It wasn't long till the Spartan, and Huntress eliminated all enemies in the area. Chief went in close, killing many Grunts and Jackels while Ruby used her sharp sniper skills to kill the Elites and operators of the gun turrets. Soon the Marines came helped poor in their fire, killing more enemy forces, including two Ghosts. The area was clear until one Banshee was flying in close, making an attack run at them. A marine with a Launcher was about to shoot it out of the sky when Chief called out to him over the net.

"Wait!" Chief says stopping them, he picks a grunts plasma pistol and charges it, when he released the charged energy blast that hit the Banshee shutting down its system, causing it to crash. It can still fly but was damaged, Chief walked to it and pulled the elite out of it and snapped his neck.

"Wow! What was that? How you do that?" Ruby asked curiously.

Chief began to explain then. "I just overcharged it, if an overcharge impacts with a vehicle, the vehicle is temporarily disabled," Chief says about to get in the Banshee.

Cortana decided then to tell the marines something then. "Cortana to Fireteam Zulu. I've sent a distress signal tagged with your current position. Hold your position and await evac. The Master Chief and I are going to continue on ahead."

"Roger that, ma'am." A marine said.

Ruby then looks at Chief. "Wait! What about me!"

"You're going with then, Ruby," Cortana informs.

Ruby was about to argue, but Chief interrupted her. "Do you know how to fly a Banshee?" Ruby mouth hanged for a second, then she shuts it, no she did not know how to drive an alien ship.

"Look, Ruby, once we cleat the area and locate the control room, we'll send the pelican to drop you off ok?" Cortana says sternly to the redhead.

"Ok..." Ruby said reluctantly before turning around and walking over to Fireteam Zulu.

With that, Chief goes in the Banshee and flies away then to the location of the control room.

"You know," Cortona said in her helmet. "With the way, you talked to Ruby just now was not too dissimilar to how a father talks to his daughter." She said in amusement.

That made the Chief veered the pelican off as the A.I.'s remark caught the super-soldier by surprise. That made Cortana laugh like a hyena, which was properly ignored by the solder as he refocused himself on the mission.

Sometime later, Chief cleared the control room area, the last enemy he killed was a zealot that he stabbed with his own sword, he walked as he tells the pelican they can drop Ruby off.

"Scanning," Cortana said as the Chief walked down a large, hangar-like space before stopping in front of another set of doors and pressing the switch. "Covenant forces in the area have been eliminated. Let's move on to Halo's Control Centre!"

They entered an even larger area, where an immense platform seemed to float motionlessly in the air, only connected to the walls by the walkway to the door. The floor was reflective and extended over what seemed to be a vast emptiness, where the Chief could not see the bottom, and became a circular walkway around a large holographic model of the Halo ring, which seemed to rotate around, its immense size allowing minuscular details to be seen by the Spartan from where he stood.

"This is it...Halo's Control Centre", Cortana commented as the Chief reached the panel. "That terminal, try there," Cortana informs.

John unplugs Cortana's chip from his helmet and places her chip in the terminal. A moment later, she appears above the display. Data streams out from her in all directions. Her eyes are now red, and her body is green, occasionally shifting to blues/purples.

"You all right?" Chief asked Cortana.

Cortana was smiling like an excited teenager. "Never been better! You can't imagine the wealth of information. The knowledge... so much... so fast. It's glorious!" All the info she was getting really got her excited she has never seen this much information.

Chief did not want to interrupt Cortana's moment, but he decides to get to the point. "So...what sort of weapon is it?"

The exciting moment not stopping, she looks at Chief, "What are you talking about?"

Thinking Cortana must have forgotten because of her excitement, he decided to remind her. "Let's stay focused. Halo, how do we use it against the Covenant?"

"This ring isn't a cudgel, you barbarian, "she said that a little angry rant. Chief felt a little confused at the moment of being called a barbarian but kept silent. "It's something else... something much more important. The Covenant were right, this ring, it's Forerunner. Give me a second to access. Yes, the Forerunners built this place, what they called a "fortress world," in order to... no, that can't be. Oh, those Covenant fools. "Cortana was beginning to get worried as she saw...some info and warnings of some horrifying things on halo." They must have known! There must have been signs!"

Chief wounder what she was talking about, this did not look her. "Slow down. You're losing me."

"The Covenant found something, buried in this ring, something horrible, and now... they're afraid."

Chief wondered what the Covenant found that got Cortana like this. "Something buried? Where?"

Cortana now had a look of horror when she got some more info...and now she was scared, "The Captain, we've got to stop the Captain!"

Now Chief was really confused now about this. "Keyes? What do we—"

Cortana interrupted Chief then "The weapons cache he's looking for. It's not really— We can't let him get inside!"

"I don't understand-." Yet again he was Cut off

"There's no time. Get out of here, find Keyes, stop him! Before it's too late!" Cortana says in a very worried tone now.

John turns and runs from the Control Room when he got outside. He saw the pelican and Ruby, who was waving at him.

"Hey, Chief! How it go?!" Ruby asked curiously.

"Get in now!" Chief says as he gets in the pelican. "We're going to find Captain." Chief quickly, he tells Ruby.

Ruby did not know what was going on, but from the tone, the Chief was amitting was anything to go by something must be happening that made him this way. Now was not a time for jokes as she hopped back in Echo 419's pelican, and they soon flew off then to were the Chaptains last known location.

lab in the swamp.

A Grunt was running in the halls, what he saw scared the heck out of him. He found himself caught in a dead-end as he saw the door in front of him was locked. He did not know how to open it before hearing the sounds of footfalls behind him. He turned to the door he just came out of and aimed his plasma rifle at it. He was shaking a lot as is suddenly got quiet, really quiet, but he soon heard footsteps again, and the Grunts breathing increased along with he was shaking more as well.

"I-I-I do-Don't want to die. I don't want to die. Please, I don't want to die! Not like this!" The grunt says he was even crying a lot as well, but he then heard the sound of the being after him roar, and when It appeared at the door, the Grunt screams as he fired rapidly, but the shots were not working at it. Soon the screams were silents, and the blue blood of the Grunt was all that remained.

Both UNSC and Covenant will soon face a true nightmare that is on the ring

* * *

Note; Here's the next chapter! Also I like to thank my partner Helljumper206.


	17. Chapter 17

.They were nearing the lab. The Zealot, known as Mraso'Haramai, felt this. Communications with the forces there had gone silent. He was tasked to find out why, and so he brought a sizable strike force with him to secured its entrance. He watched as the Phantom's side doors open, the Zealot signaled eight Elites with him, two of them being Ultras, rest Minors. Together they jumped and landed in ankle-deep swamp muck. Three more Phantoms hovered nearby, dropping a few infantry squads and several pairs of Jackals.

"Move out, but silently. This unit has gone dark for unknown reasons. We must find out why," The Zealot orders.

The Zealots orders were followed, and his forces made it to the lab...all to find that it was deserted. No one was there, this confused the Zealot, he been briefed that there was a standard company guarding the lab...something is wrong here.

His units soon reached the entrance to the know lab, where the company should be only to met with silence and empty fortifications.

"Where is everyone?" One of his Minors spoke.

'Where indeed.' He thought. Looking around, he saw unoccupied stationary guns and open supply crates. Looking inside one, he saw it was bear of its weapons. Going over to a second and third creat told the same story.

One Ultras walks up then. "Sir, should we investigate the lab?"

The Zealot looks over at him then at the lab entrance. He was about to reply before he saw something on the ground in front of him that he didn't see then. Crouching down, he saw the unmistakable sign of blue Unggoy blood, and it was trailing to the lab entrance. 'Something is definitely wrong. But I don't feel like its the humans that had a hand at this.'

"We will investigate the lab to search for any information. Have two squads remain to secure the entrance and bring up a long-range communications beacon. Guard the doors and report our findings back to the replacement shipmaster."

"Yes, sir." The Ultra replied with respect before directing two nearby Minors.

Gathering the rest of his force, they ventured in and found the elevator leading deeper into the ring. After several trips, the Zealot split his troops to both guard their way out and into search parties. After that was accomplished, they scout out inside the lab to see what happened to there missing company and find the purpose this lab contained. Along with anything that could be of use to the Covenant.

Unknowest to them, a machine like being with a glowing eye was watching them from afar. "Oh my...they have no idea of the protocol to deal with this type of situation." As it said that it then hums and flies away then to prepare...for the proper protocol and for the activation...of the ring.

* * *

Inside the Lab.

Mraso'Haramai and his search team of infantry walked in the lab, going deeper and deeper inside. Mraso did not know why...but the bad feeling he had been getting hadn't let up. Silently glancing at the troops with him confirmed he wasn't the only either. The shield bearing Kig-yar were twitching at the shadows, the Unggoy flinching at every sound, even his fellow Sangheili brothers looked to be on edge. As if the Human demons were suddenly going to show themselves. But he pushed those feelings aside for the mission, he had a job to do as he gave his team an order when they reached into a sizable room with multiple doors.

"Split up." The Zealot said he figured splitting up would be the best way to look around the lab faster, and find the missing covenant troops. "We shall cover more ground faster this way. If you find anything of importance, whether information on this lab or the missing troops, report it to me." He orders as he takes only two Elite minors with him he decided to let the ultras go on there own with there own teams, they were well trained.

Following the command, the party split up, the ultras taking their own amount of forces to look there own way around the silent lab of the forerunners.

"May the gods be with you," The Ultra says to his partner.

"As they are with you," The other Ultra says as they then go then.

In another part of the Lab, with one of the Covenant groups.

One search group entered a new area of the lab, where they saw nothing but blood and small remains all over the room. Judging by the color, it was mostly that of Unggoy blood. The amount that was shown unnerved the party leaders as the sight of severed limbs was a giveaway of the blood's owners. A nearby Kig-yar picks up a dismembered arm of an Unggoy, deciding to have a little fun with it by shoving it in the face of another Unggoy troop. Much to there horror and the Kig-yar's gross glee.

As for the Ultra, he ignored that of those beneath him and looked around him. He soon saw holographic counsel on one table. He tried to tap into it but found it locked him out. He tried again with his suits computer, but he was no Huragok and had no idea of the password much to his annoyance. "Blast it, this will be impossible to hack!"

As the Ultra did that, a Minor walks up to him, he decided to ask his superior something. "What you think happened to that Unggoy?" He asked as he looks at the torn-apart body of the deceased Uggoy. "Think it was the humans?"

"No." The Ultra replied. "Humans do not mutilate there enemies like the idiotic Brutes." He answers, using the human's rather fitting title of the Jiralhanae. He honestly wonders why the grunt was killed in such a fashion. He remembered that they did not have any brute units here as Fleet Master Thel did not have any in the place, nor did he like them at all. So what could have done this to the lone Unggoy, and why?

But something snapped the Ultra out of his thoughts, as he heard something, the Sangheili, Unggoy, and Kig-yar looked around then. "Sir, what is this?" A Minor asked.

"I am not sure." The Ultra answered as he steps away from the computer and readies his set of dual plasma rifles out and looks. It was then they heard banging at a closed-off door at the end of the room. "When that door bursts...and whatever comes from it...open fire." He orders.

The Kig-yar activated their shields and mad an improvised shield wall, allowing small cracks between them that allowed the Unggoy to fire through. The Ultra and Minor stood at opposite ends of the wall with their plasma rifles out.

After a few more bangs on the door, it bursts and fell away...and then all Hell broke loose as a massive mass of green p*** and flesh came forth. Anenormis amount of plasma was fired sent to meet it...

Along with screams that echoed the halls.

* * *

Back with the Zealot, he stopped as he heard his com go off. The two nearby Minor that stood with him noticed this and approached by his side. Zealot looked at his communication device as he was getting a transmission. The Zealot answered it. "What have you found?"

As he asked, the sound of Plasma fire filtered through it, catching the entirety of the Zealot's party attention as they looked at there superior as they heard what came next.

15h ago"Sir!" The voice of one of his Ultras was heard through the Com. The tone of his voice sounding fearful. "We're under attack! There's no end to them!" The Ultra said in a panicked voice through the com. The Zealot could hear the screams of Unggoy in the background.

The Zealot wondered about this, so he quickly asked something. "What's attacking you? Is it humans?" The Zealot asked.

"No! There- Ah! Get off me! No! NOOOO!"

The Zealot and two minors heard screaming for a while, but then it stopped...and listened to a growling like a sound that did not sound like anything they have ever heard...then the transmission was cut.

The two Minors looked at each other, then at There superior. "Sir, what you think happened."

Mraso actually knew what happened...the team was dead but...whatever killed them was not human. A hint of fear rose in his body. The Zealot pressed his wrist com again to try to contact the other Ultra that had his own team. " Ultra Kuraka' Moramee, are you alright?"

There was no answer, only static. Meaning the other ultra team was likely dead too. It was just him and the Minors.

"Alright, You two, we-" before the Red armored Zealot could give the order, he heard footsteps fast approaching them. The Zealot aimed his needle rifle, while one of the Minors aimed there Fuel rod cannon at the open entrance, and the other one pointed his dual plasma pistols at the door.

As they armed at the door for what was to come, they soon lowered them when they saw it was two Unggoys. "Elites!" One of the small aliens said happily." WE'RE SAVED!" the two Unggoy then ran to the Zealot's party, for once they were glad to see them.

The Sangheili looked at them and saw that neither were part of the unit outfits that he brought. He deduced that they must be survivors of the team they were sent here to find. Intesa of yelling or threatening there lives on what the Elite Minors were going to do, the Zealot speaking calmly to them.

"Are there other survivors?" the Zealot asked.

One of the two grunts shakes there heads no. "N-no sir, me and my friend were the only survivors we ran from monsters! And they're looking for us!? It was very scary, leader!"

The Unggoy looked like he was about to soil himself...whatever scared him must have done it worse than an Elite or human, one of the Minors stepped up and spoke. "Monsters? What kind of monsters do you speak of?"

The Grunt spoke fast. "Our boss opened something! It was scary and It was-it was small! Lots of small things but when they got on you they change you! Lots of us to, that became worse! They turned our own into monsters like them! And they came to attack us! We need to get out of here, please!"

As the Zealot was about to ask more...they heard an unnatural growl. As one, they all turned and looked at the way the Grunts came in...to see an Elite...but it was not a normal one.

This one had tentacles coming out of its arm and chest, its head was missing two mandibles and bent off to an awkward side. It had a large weird looking bulge sticking out of its chest.

One of the Minors goes to walk to the monster looking elite. "By the prophets, what happ-"

The Zealot reaches out and grabs the Minors advance, the Zealot glared deadly at the being that was once one of his brethren. "That...is not one of us anymore...its...the parasite...the flood." The Zealot told them.

The Minor's eyes widened in realization and fear. He thought the flood was only a myth, but looking back at the nightmare that was staring at him...this was real. "By the gods..." the Minor said in horror.

The Zealot Aims his Needle rifle then as he spoke the next order...now knowing what happened to the team and the others he brought with him. He knew of the danger they were all in. "Prepare yourselves." He said in a clear and serious tone with anger in it.

As the Elites and Grunts did what they were told...the Flood Elite roars at them before a swarm of small flood forms came from behind it with intent to infect last of this group, and the flood elite Ran at them...

The small group will have to fight if they want to make it out alive, from the place the flood had themselves sealed in.

* * *

 **Note; Well here's the chapter of the halo fanfic, and also I like to thank my partner for his help editing this.**

 **Also...I've bine looking forward to doing the flood part of halo for a wile now...things are going to get Dark.**

 **Also, Tell me what you think I'm looking forward to your opinion.**


	18. Chapter 18

**343 Guilty Spark**

* * *

Ruby sat across from the Spartan as they were flying towards the last known location that captain Keys was recorded. Ruby felt the atmosphere was a little tense after they left Cortona back at the control room. The teenage Huntress tried humming one of the songs from her favorites list she has on her scroll and was tempted to break it out to start listening to it even. But figure that this was a dangerous mission, she decided against it for now. While the Chief sat in his seat looking over his assault rifle for the twentieth time. Unknown to Ruby, he was thinking of what Cortana said and how panicked she sounded. That made him wondered just what got her so worried like that? Was what she saw from the info that bad? If so, what is worse then the Covenant to make her freak out like that.

"Hey, Chief."

He was snapped out of his train of thought and look's at the red Huntress.

"What is it, Ruby?" Chief said as Ruby now got his attention.

"Just wondering, do you like cookies?" Ruby asked.

If one were to look through the Chief's visor, they would see his eyebrows raised in surprise at Ruby's question. "What?"

Ruby just smiled innocently. "Sorry, I just wanted to start some small talk. It gets really boring on these long flights, and we've been flying for a while, and I'm starting to get bored." Ruby said while unwraps her third protein bar, she's starting to like them despite them being a bland chocolate flavor.

"In war, there is always a waiting period before the next fight. This is supplement with time a soldier needs to prepare for any upcoming missions," Chief informs the teen.

Ruby just sighs then and rests her head on her hands. "Come on, a talk it's not so bad, like asking what you do for a hobby?"

"What I do for a hobby is to follow orders. Along with killing Covenant followed by resting and preparing for the next battle when I get the time," Chief said in an emotionless tone to the young Ruby who just puffs her cheeks out.

"Your boring...but also cool as well," Ruby said, smiling again.

"...Thanks?" The Spartan replied, unsurely of the brief conversation. Since meeting the teen, her attitude towards him was always in a kind, childlike, friendly manner. For years only his fellow Spartans, Chief Mendez, and Doctor Halsey would speak to him as an equal. Few outside the Spartan program talked to them on a personal level like Ruby has been doing.

* * *

Soon the Pelican arrived at the swamp then...unknown to them at the time. A nearby lab in the swamp had many Covenant troops fleeing for their lives. Jackals and Grunts were running in apparent panic from the nightmare that has been unleashed there.

"MONSTERS! MONSTERS! RUN! RUN AWAY!" One Grunt screamed in a panic before a shadow descended above, ending his life.

* * *

Back with the Pelican, it starts to descend to the mucky ground. As the hatch opened, 419 then began to speak to her two passengers. "The last transmission from the Captain's dropship was from this area. That was over twelve hours ago. When you locate Captain Keyes, radio in, and I'll come pick you both up."

"Be sure to bring us some towels," the Chief said to Foehammer as he looked down and saw that the muck reached up to his calves. Looking over at his companion, he saw that it was nearly up to her knees. "And some new pants and shoes for Privet Rose."

Ruby started to feel both annoyed and embarrassed at the Chief's joke when she heard the pilot laugh over the comm.

"See ya later, Echo 419," Ruby said as she waves the pilot bye with a smile.

The two of them watched as the Pelican lifted even further from the ground and swooped off into the foggy air, avoiding the dense treetops.

Chief swept the area with his Assault rifle to find no hostiles in the area. Ruby did the same with her Sniper. Seeing no enemies, Chief took point with Ruby following close behind.

The sight at the top of the rise was disconcerting; a wrecked Pelican lay only a few dozen meters from where Foehammer had dropped them off. The fog and the surrounded foliage were so thick that getting real close to the crash site was the only way that someone could see it. Add in the sight of supplies and weapons scattered around gave it an ominous setting.

The two entered the troop bay and heard the ship's recorder going off.

"Dropship Victor 933 "static" Pillar of Autumn. 'static.' -need assistance. We are under att-'static' attack by some new kind of hostile-static-isn't Covenant. 'Static' Captain Keyes has been captured by hostiles. 'static' -dug in at a large structure in a swamp 'static' We need to pull out. Please-'static'-I will set this message to repeat at-'static'-regular intervals. Dropship Victor 933, clear." A call from a distressed pilot said.

"That's not good," Ruby pointed out.

"No, it's not," The Spartan agreed. "Search for supplies and anything of use," he ordered before going over to the ship's weapons rack.

Ruby went and inspected the weapons that were on the ground. "Empty. Empty. Ten rounds. Empty." Ruby listed as she went from Assult rifle to rifle. The ammunition counters on them helped counted what they held. Ruby felt worried as she saw the ground was littered with spent shell casings.

Looking over the weapons rack, the Chief found a single shotgun resting within along with a case of 8-gage shotgun shells. With the environment they are it, he placed it on his back and pocketed the shells.

"Found anything?" Chief asked Ruby as he stepped out the troop bay hatch.

"Nothing," she replied, "There are no bodies and all the weapons that I could find are spent. It's like they fired off everything they hand before dropping them and disappeared into thin air."

"The weapon stock was also mainly empty, except for this shotgun," he gripped the pump of the shotgun.

"Where did they go?"

"I don't know. Let's move out and find that structure the pilot mentioned." Chief said as he walks along with Ruby. The two move away from the down Pelican.

"What do you think happened to the ship?" Ruby asked.

"Most likely the Pelican crashed after deploying its passengers," the Chief deduced, looking around as they walked.

As they walked, Ruby wondered about the message, she heard it say they were a threat other than the Covenant, Thinking about it, she decided to ask the Chief. "So Chief, we heard it in the message that the threats were not Covenant what you think that it is? And is there other enemies to the UNSC then the Covenant?" Ruby asked.

Ruby figured Chief might know since he has been in the war much longer then she has bine around in the Human-Covenant war, so he might have answers in this.

Chief knew of a few enemies to the UNSC, one of them being the Insurrectionists, but they could not be here, so what could it be? "I do not, Ruby." An explosion sounded off in the distance. Following that, the two could hear the voices of Grunts and Jackals approaching quickly. "But we're about to find out," the Chief stated, raising his Assault Rifle.

The Covenant finally came into view, though it was only a small group: a half-dozen Grunts and Jackals. The weirdest thing was that they looked like they were fleeing from something behind them. However, as soon as they spotted the humans, they raised their weapons and opened fire.

Ruby and Chief fired back. The deadly accuracy of the Huntress/Sparten pair proved to be too effective against the Covenant, as they were killed with ease by the two. The two decided to follow the path where the Covenant had come from. Passing by the fresh corpses, they didn't notice the shadow coming out of the water after they had left and taken off with one of the recently dead bodies.

The Spartan took a moment and bent a knee to the ground. It was there he spotted footprints belonging to Covanet troops but also the familiar bootprints of Marines. Meaning they were on the right trail.

Ruby and Chief soon stumbled upon a crashed Covenant Spirit with its cargo spilled along the grown and its bay doors appearing ripped open by the crash. Mysteriously, no bodies were lying around. The two didn't say anything about what brought it down and focused more on the mission. They soon found a small group of Grunts and Jackels that were quickly dealt with and crosses a log bridge. The duo moves across the bridge, he sees several shadowy figures running around on the top of the cliff to the right.

"What the?" Ruby said ad she rechecks the motion tracker as she continued with Chief to head to the lab. What was going on was strange.

"Damn," the Chief said as they stopped in front of it, "I had friendly tags for a brief second on the motion sensor."

Ruby saw a blur in her peripheral vision, turned around, and saw something move past the end of the trunk. It was sized like a human or an Elite, she couldn't tell which though from the split second she saw it. From the way the Chief raised his rifle instinctively, he saw something too.

"Did you see what that was?" he asked, but Ruby shook her head.

"I saw something, but it was too quick for me to make out what it was."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sounds of multiple Assault rifles firing in the distance. They rushed forward just in time to witness an explosion at the entrance to a large installation, investigate, and found a mob of Grunts and Jackels fleeing from an A-shaped structure of the lab.

"Marines! Come on, Chief, we got to help them!" Ruby said as she starts to shoot the Covenant forces that were coming out of the lab. Chief looks for a moment, something was not right as he began to shoot then as well at the fleeing aliens coming out of the lab.

Then a frag grenade explosion that was thrown from the lab sends a Shade turret flying making it hit and crush a Grunt to death. Soon all the remaining Covenant forces that were there were gunned down. When the last one fell, Ruby began walking towards the entrance.

"Alright, now that's done, let's go meet up with the Marines!" Ruby said as she began to ran to the entrance Chief following closely behind. Ruby eventually made it to the entrance then and yelled. "Hello! Marines?! We're here to save you!"

But when she got there and yelled that...they were no marines much to the young huntress confusion. Just spent shell casing that littered the floor.

"Huh? But there was gunfire? Where are they?" Ruby said, looking around if the Marines were hiding.

Chief soon arrived behind her, checking his motion tracker shows nothing other than himself and Ruby. "No one's here."

Ruby looked at Chief with surprise. "What? But we saw gunfire? How could they be nothing!?"

Chief didn't have an answer to that as they push farther into the structure. The Installation was an entirely different and separate world from the swamps outside, the only deviation being the Covenant crates at the edge of the room. The big octagonal hole in the middle of the room had a huge pillar at each corner. As the two approached the hole, they were surprised to see a ramp rise up from the pit and stop at the tip, like it was waiting for them to come.

The two humans could only stare at the sudden elevator. "That was spooky," said the redhead with the Chief becoming more uneasy as the mission went on.

They stepped onto the lift, eyes looking side to side for any sign of a trap or the Captain. The Chief pressed his hand against the holographic console near one of the pillars that they had just noticed. The lift began to descend at a reasonable speed, going further down into the Installation.

They reached a lower level, where a small group of Grunts and Jackals were standing in front of a hatch. Their guns point at it with their backs towards the lift. As a reward for their stupidity, the Chief threw a grenade at their feet and watched them all get blown up.

"Well, that was quick," Ruby remarked as she stepped off the lift.

"Too quick," the Chief commented in a low voice. Something is wrong here. The Covenant never retreat no matter what odds were against them. Nor are they ever this careless. Then there is the fact that we have not found any Elites.

Walking towards the hatch, the hatch automatically opened when he was in front of it, revealing a surprised Jackal. The Chief grabbed it and broke its neck, before dragging it back to the lift room without a sound.

With their presence still a secret to the Covenant, the two moved through the hatch. They found themselves in a large, spacious room, with them being on a platform, with the floor below having a group of Covenant Grunts standing around almost aimlessly.

Pulling out a grenade from her pouch, Ruby primed and tossed it in the center of the group. The group perished when the grenade went off. The pair waited a moment, but no enemy reinforcements came through any of the hatches spread around the room. That didn't sit well with them.

The Chief walked up to the edge of the platform, where a console stood. Activating it, a transparent, blue thin light bridge flickered on, connected the platform to another platform on the other side of the room. It was similar to the bridge that Chief used to reach the area where he first met Ruby and was recovering the Autumn's lifeboats.

Before either of them could cross over, one of the hatches on the floor level opened up, and a Grunt came running out, screaming.

It was not a scream of anger, or vengeance like Ruby would have expected but one of terror and horror. The Grunt was terrified of something as apparent by it turning around and facing the now closed hatch with its plasma pistol pointed out in a trembling grip. After waiting a moment, the Grunt finally looked around the room, until it saw the remains of the group Ruby had killed just before.  
Twilight and the Chief pulled out their rifles, waiting for the Grunt to spot them and attack, but it never did. Instead, it shrieked in horror, pointed its own pistol to its head, and fired.

Ruby's jaw dropped in horror as the Grunt's dead body fell to the floor, while the Chief lowered his rifle slowly as if in shock.

Neither of them spoke for a good minute. It was ultimately Ruby that broke first. "Chief, do they normally do that?" The Chief could barely hear her voice. He shook his head.

"Not like that," he answered truthfully. "Usually, they come running at their enemies, holding grenades in their hands, trying to blow others up, along with themselves. Even then, that is because they're fanatical, the most zealous of the bunch, and wish to be sent on their 'great journey' as soon as they could. But this...this was something else. Something terrorized this Grunt so much that he killed himself." He looked over at the body with a critical eye.

He then turned to Ruby. "This means we need to find the Captain and exfill out of here, ASAP."

He saw her nod, before continuing on to the hatch. Thankfully, it had green lights on it, which meant that it was unlocked. It opened up, revealing an empty corridor that went around a square area, with locked doors on the sides, until they reached the end of the corridor, where an open hatch awaited them.

Past it, was a large, open room, with a large, glass container in the middle, which was shattered on one side. There was a platform walkway above the two as Ruby and Chief entered. In the distance, standing in front of another hatch were three Jackals, unaware of the new occupants of the room.

The Chief was about to approach them when he heard something drip onto his armor. He looked at his shoulder and found a green-yellow, slimy fluid start to slide down to the ground from his shoulder plate. Another drop splashed onto him, causing the Chief to take a step to the left to avoid getting dripped on again. Now usually, he wouldn't mind it, but he didn't know what the substance was, and his gut told him that it was not something to ignore. He also noticed that the substance seemed to be dripping from the ceiling and the broken glass, which had a slight green tinge to it.

Deciding to shove his growing sense of unease to the side, he threw a grenade at the Jackals' feet and watched them get blown into chunks of meat. Another door opened to the other end of the room, and a few more Jackals ran into the room. The Chief pulled out his pistol and fired to shots, each impacting the Jackals in the head.

"Nice shooting, Chief!" Ruby cheered before their attention was brought back to the yellow-green liquid coming from the ceiling.

"Ewwwww!" Ruby said disgustedly. "What is that stuff? It smells horrible." Ruby said as she covers her nose with her sleeve.

Chief looks at the stuff he once again did not know what this stuff was. From the moment they landed, his gut was telling him that this mission was not right. He remembered his fellow Spartan, Kurt 051, getting these gut tingling senses. They were often proven right as it prevented him and their fellow Spartans' from getting killed in ambushes. He wishes he was still alive, and here now, he could really use those gut instincts.

The Chief was about to comment about it, when something in the very distance moved, only seen by his peripheral vision. He spun around, shotgun drawn and raised, but saw nothing there.

"Chief, did you see the wall move too?" Ruby asked in a shuddered tone. 'She must have seen something too,' he realized, 'which means that whatever that was, it's real.'

He lowered the shotgun slightly but in a way that he could raise it in a split second. "I think we should move," he said to her. Though he wasn't even facing her, he could tell that she nodded and walked over to him, her own rifle held in her firm grip.

As the two humans moved away from the center from the room. A single shadow slowly rose from its spot on the platform above. A few moments later, several smaller forms rose by it. They watch the tow walk away and exit the room before crouching back down to the shadows.

Waiting for their moment to feed.

Together, the Chief and Ruby went through the door that the Jackals were guarding before they were killed and found another two-way corridor, this time one of the doors on the side was open. Or more adequately, wrenched open, to be exact, revealing a small room with a light in the middle.

The Chief took a look at the hatch but couldn't go into the small room due to the broken hatch and thus ignored the room. Though his unease from before had spiked a bit and was growing with each passing second. As he passed a corner, he saw that the wall had been stained—no, painted—with Covenant blood. The Chief felt his face begin to pale even more than usual. He looked at Ruby, who was turning as green as his armor at the sight.

They entered another large room, though this time, there were no live enemies anywhere to be seen. There were plenty of bodies, however, to say the least. Chief ignored Ruby's gagging at the stench of burnt flesh in the air.

The corpses of Grunts and Jackals seemed to litter the floor. From a distance, the Chief could tell that some of them had been killed by Plasma fire, while others had been killed by bullets, which the Chief couldn't help but take a small bit of comfort from that fact. Off to the side was the body of an Elite minor, the first one they've seen on this mission. A sizable chunk of its chest gone, revealing the organs and guts inside.

Far more horrifying for the Chief were the two Marines in the corner, their bodies burnt from Plasma. He walked up to them and noticed that their dog tags had been taken, which meant that they had died fighting the Covenant. That there were potentially more marines still out there, including Captain Keyes.

He turned around, knowing that Ruby would still be struggling to breathe and was rewarded with the sight of her puking in the corner that had no corpses. Honestly, he couldn't blame her. Even now, the stench from the bodies was coming through his helmet filters, still powerful enough to cause him to gag occasionally. Ruby was taking the full brunt of it.

He was about to walk up to her when he noticed something different on the Elite's body. He knelt before it, ignoring the sense of disgust and spotted a familiar fluid dripping from its armor. The Chief's eyes widened slightly at this and took a step back. He looked around at all the bodies, finding that a few had some of the fluid on them.

Now, he knew that something was very, very wrong about this whole place.

"Ruby. We're moving, now!" he called her over, motioning for them to move to the next hatch.

Ruby didn't complain as she pulled her canteen out to rid the taste of vomit out of her mouth.

Traversing through the Installation, passing more rooms, with some of them having corpses in them. That is until they came across another large room, where the Chief heard a magnum discharge, and a bullet hit his shield.

He swung his weapon around but stopped when he saw a Marine sitting with his back to a series of Covenant Containers. He held a pistol up in a trembling hand, his face twisted in fear. He fired another shot at the Chief.

"Stay back!" the Marine shouted, "Stay Back! You aren't turning me into one of those things!"

As Ruby ducked behind cover, the Chief lowered his weapon and raised a hand, palm outwards as a sign of peace. "Put the weapon down, Marine," he said calmly, "we're on the same side."

Unfortunately, the Marine appeared too crazed to listen, and he pressed his back further into the container. "Get away from me! Don't touch me, you freak! I'll die first!" The Marine yelled, it's like he went crazy as he still shot at the two, he yelled a lot of crazy things, he clearly has lost his mind from what happened.

Once again, the Marine fired another shot, and the Chief felt the 12.7mm round impact on his shields. But Chief quickly disarming him, and he grabbed the Marine by the collar, lifting him in the air with one arm and pinning him against the wall face level with the Spartan. "We don't shoot our own Marine," Chief said before letting him go.

With the Marine now harmless to him, the Chief asked softly. "Now, where are Captain Keyes and the rest of your unit?"

The Marine sated for a while...but soon goes on his knees then and spoke then. "Th-they're gone. All of them, they killed them all, they killed them all." The scared Marine said as it looks like he was about to cry.

Ruby and Chief looked at each other, and then back at the Marine, Chief spoke then. "Who killed them? Covenant?"

The Marine looked up at Chief. "NO, NOT COVENANT! monsters, monsters they tore then up from the inside out, made them monsters!" The crying Marine said.

Chief and Ruby did not know what he means by that, but Chief talked again. "I suggest that you reload this weapon, quit wasting ammo, and head topside." he offered the pistol to the Marine, who looked at it with trepidation. "Once you get there, hunker down and wait for help. There'll be a dust off later."

Ruby looked at the Marine, with pitty, whatever scared him must have done a good job to break him she could not just leave him here, Ruby turns to Chief then. "Chief, is it alright if I take this Marine Topside? We both know he won't make it out on his own."

Chief knew Ruby was right. Leaving the Marine alone wasn't a good idea, and whatever is done here would kill him. Then again, their party shouldn't split up. His gut was going against it, but as far as he'd known Ruby, she wasn't going to budge on the matter. "Very well, take him back to the elevator we came down with Ruby, I'll stay and continue looking for what happened to Keye's, and I'll meet you there. Keep in constant radio contact," Chief said, giving Ruby his permission.

Ruby smiled. "Thanks, Chief, I will." She then goes to the Marine and offers him a hand...which he shakingly accepts, and pulls him to his feet.

"Keep close to me, and I'll get you out of here," Ruby ordered the Marine, turning on her Team Leader mode as her sister once teased her about, before turning back to the Spartan. "Let me know when you find them."

With that, Ruby started to head back where the lift is, and Chief went to find what happened to Keyes.

The Master Chief moved on over to the next few rooms finding more dead Covanet until he arrived at the top of a ramp, where a dead Marine lay in a pool of blood. Now his instincts were screaming out to him that something was wrong, urging him to run away. He shoved them out of the way, sensing the eyrie silence in the air. He was close to something that his gut was telling him of danger, but he didn't know what.

Descending down the ramp, where there was a single hatch with a UNSC Spoofer on the side. The Chief's hand hovering over the Spoofer's button.

He then spun back around with his rifle raised when he heard a sickly sound originated from behind. As quickly as it came, the noise was gone with no trace of what may have caused it. After a few moments of tense silence, he was silently regretting not having Ruby with him.

With nothing appearing, he turned back to the hatch and pressed down on the Spoofer's control pad. No sooner after he had pressed the button that he felt his pulse quicken after the body of a Marine fell right towards him when the hatch opened. Catching the body before it impacted the ground. He raised his MA5B with his right hand as he covered the room beyond as best he could. Seeing that it looked empty, he spun on his heel, watching for anything that may be behind him. Seeing nothing, he backed away from the ramp and watched the hatch close.

The Chief finally lowered the body onto the ground, recognizing the face as one of the Marines in Johnson's squad. He remembered last seeing him when he was rescuing survivors and had first met Ruby. As he knelt to do this, his boot hit some empty bullet shell casings. As his hands left the Marine's body, he looked down to examine the shells, only to notice that the entire floor was nearly carpeted by thousands of shell casings. Even worse, human blood seemed to paint the floor in individual sections where disregarded rifles laid in. In the middle of it all was a single, Marine helmet.

Staying low, he crouched walked over to the helmet. Picking it up. He looked at the back of it and saw the word 'Jenkins' stenciled across the side. He shook his head in resignation. Jenkins was most likely dead now, though from what was still to be determined. He noticed that the Vid cam was still attached to the other side and the memory chip along with it.

A typical UNSC helmet camera was an old school tech idea. Thought it was still used today as it helped provides many things like intel for ONI, help with briefings, or in this situation cause of death.

He inserted the chip in and started to watch the footage.

With Ruby, as she went back the way she came with the shaking Marine with her, he kept muttering stuff like it's over, they're all going to die by monsters. Ruby was doing her best to comfort his nerves as well as her own.

"Hey, don't worry, we will get out of here," Ruby said with a kind smile.

But that smile didn't last as the silence of the room was broken when a short laugh echoed the room they were in. Turning sharping, the two humans pointed their guns and saw an elite leaning in the wall. By its armor configuration, it was an Ultra, it was in bad shape.

Ruby saw its armor was dented like it was beaten by an Ursa. Its wounds showed its purple blood, by the amount the Huntress saw, he didn't have much time.

"You really think that, child?" The Ultra said as he coughs up purple blood. "And what's about to happen I would not wish even on your race." The Ultra said in the human language.

Ruby glared, but to her surprise, she also heard some...pity? In the Ultra's voice, when he said all that? No, its got to be a trick!

"What have you Covenant done!? What did you guys do to Captain Keys!?" Ruby demanded answers of the Ultra. It was now that saw the markings on said Ultra. They were the same ones as the Zealot that gave her a scars ultra. "Did you and your master that gave me this scar kill him!?" Ruby said, pointing to the scar on her face.

The Ultra looked at her closely, and his eyes recognized the cloak wearing human. "No, we were not the once that ended your leader. We're unsure what happened to him when he released the parasite after our leader sealed them away after they almost broke out the first time."

He locked eyes with Ruby, "your leader has doomed us all to the parasite. Food for the Flood."

For a reason unknown to her, Ruby felt a cold chill fall unto her, like cold water had poured onto her. "Parasite, Flood?" Ruby said, somewhat confused and concerned by the word. Glancing at the Marine beside her. Seeing him shake at the mention of the word, he knew what the Ultra was talking about. "What's th-"  
The sound of a roar was heard, it did not belong to any covenant she heard...and she swore the Marine looked like he was going to pee himself. Then Ruby's radio crackled to life with the sound of automatic gunfire.

"Ruby! If you're not already at the exit, then double-time it!"  
The Master Chief ordered her over the sound of gunfire and horrible screeching. "We need to get out of here, now!"

"Chief, what's going on? Who are you fighting?" Ruby sounded off.

"You won't...get out of here alive." The Elite said before activating an energy dagger and ending his own life with himself, thrusting it into his heart.

Ruby back stepped in shook at what her alien did...but she heard banging on a door...and she aimed her weapon at it, the Marine did so too, a bit with his arms shaking. Ruby reached up and touched her mike.

"Chief, what are we facing?" Ruby tried to steady her voice.

"Unknown hostiles," the Chief replied over the sound of gunfire. "Get to the exit. I'm backtracking to you now."

5h ago"Understood Chief," Ruby said as she watched the hatch take a beating. "OK, Marine, calm down, we'll make it out of this. Just stay close to me," Ruby said to the still shaking Marine as they walked over to the hatch Ruby and Chief entered earlier.

Before they could reach it, the banging hatch had burst open, reveal a creature responsible.

"What the?" Ruby said in shook.

The shaking Marine had wide eyes then. "Mo-Monster..."

Ruby couldn't agree more but had no time to even look at them before one of them leaped right at her, a roar emitting from it. With that, it rushed both Ruby and the Marine. Ruby opened fired her assault rifle and sprayed the creature with bullets. As it ran at them, time seemed to slow down for the redhead as she got a better look at it, and gasped in horror as she recognized the mutated form of what was once a Covenant Elite. The skin of the Elite looked deformed and decayed. The bones and left arm of the Elite appeared to have been forcibly lengthened and transformed into a tentacle-like appendage, with the remnants of what the "arm" was still visible in certain parts. The chest seemed to have been taken over by a big gray tumor. Tentacles were also growing out of said tumor of the huge mass in the middle. What was perhaps the most terrifying detail was that the head appeared to have been pushed out of its usual spot and hung limply like a broken, unneeded limb from the side.

It also could handle a lot of gunfire.

It lungs at them and tried to wipe Ruby with its tentacle arm. Ruby ducks to avoids it and hits it with the but of her rifle. The plow stagers it of a sec before going back to gearing up for another attack. That was when the Marine appeared next to Ruby shoots it twice in the chest where the gray blob is, poping it like a balloon. Then like a puppet without its strings attached, it fell to the floor, killing it.

"Wow...nice shooting," Ruby praised the Marine, who looks slightly better now. "Well now that that's over let-." Her voice was cut off when the sounds of squishy footsteps coming from beyond the door the zombie Elite came from. Feeling fear of more undead aliens coming their way did not sit tight with either of them.

"W-We should run," the Marine stated in fear-ridden voice.

"Agreed," Ruby said, nodding with the scared Marine. She grabbed the Marine and used her aura and semblance to turn both of them into a cloud of red and gray rose petals, taking them up to the platform above them. Releasing her semblance, the Marine stumbled in surprise as Ruby looked back and saw more of those freakish alien zombies. Usually, she would go and fight monsters like she did the Grimm, but she needed to get the Marine out of here. Couldn't risk him getting killed from a needless fight against these Flood.

Flood, Ruby thought. That was the word the Elite said.

As Ruby left with the Marine through the hatch, the Flood watched her leave. Some jumped up and gave chase to their food while one flood infection form went to a dead Ultra, turning him into another puppet soldier. Through the memories of the Elite, they learned more about their food. Through the information the Ultra possessed, a new target arose for the Flood. A new place set the growing proto-grave mind to set upon and passage off the ring.

Back with Ruby and the Marine, the two humans continued their journey to escape this vile place. They soon stumbled upon a firefight between infected Flood Elites, along with smaller creatures that looked like the tumors on their chest, against a squad of Covenant, making a desperate last stand. Looking across the room, Ruby spotted the hatch that led to the elevator they came down in. But it was on the other side of the room, and the light bridge controls were broken.

Ruby bit back a curse of their luck, she could quickly get across without the once that were fighting noticing but not with the scared Marine with her.

"Why are we standing here for?!" The Marine whispered, sounding like he was bearly holding it together. Ruby pointed at the hatch on the other side of the room.

"The elevators right through there. But the light bridge thing is out and theirs too many of them for us to handle alone," Ruby explained. "Plus, we're waiting for Chief to arrive, were are not leaving him here," Ruby said, reloading her assault rifle.

The Marine looks at her with wide eyes. "He's got to be dead we need to go now before they notice us-" the Marine's words were cut off when the sound of a frag grenade went off. The two looked back at the ground floor and saw the lone Spartan putting shell after shotgun shell into the Flood masses.

"Chief!" Ruby shouted out in relief and ran to the platform's edge and fired short bursts into the Flood crowd. Together with the scared Marine joining at the end, finish off the remaining enemies in the room in the room.

"Chief! I'm glad you're alright." Chief looked up and nodded.

"Good to see you well, Ruby. Status update?"

"No injuries with us, but I'm going to need a lot of cookies after today," Ruby replied. Chief merely rolled his eyes behind his visor before serving the room then back at the two above him.

"That bridge is out, but those crates over there can bring us back up to the platform. Jump down and will clime out of here," Chief ordered. Ruby nodded and did just that without any problem. The scared Marnie hesitated up on the platform.

That was when Chief's motion tracker beeped. "Behind you!" Chief shouted but was to late.

The Marnie didn't even have a chance to turn around before another Mutated Elite dropped from the ceiling, and raped its tentacle arm around him. Ruby screamed in dismay while Chief bite back a curse as he didn't have a clean shot. The Flood Elite then up and hauled the soldier into one of the vents, screaming all the way.

Ruby dropped to her knees as she could only stare frightfully into the vent the monster disappeared to. Chief looked over and saw the girls state, not wanting to lose another comrade. He was on Ruby's side in a moment. "Ruby, we need to leave now!"

His word looked like they did the trick as she was broken out of her trance and nodded wordlessly. They climbed the crates and went through the hatch where the elevator was.

The two quickly reached the controls to the elevator, with Chief hitting panel. A moment later, a few explosions were heard above them that made them look up the shaft. They could only watch as the elevator descended pass them in flames. The two stared down into the abyss. Ruby than just summed up their situation in just three simple words.

"...for fuck's sake."

* * *

 **Note: Here's the new chapter, and now the Horror really going to start for Ruby...Will she survive the flood or become one of them and become one of the most dangerous infacted?**

 **Also I like to thank Helljumper206 for helping me edit.**


	19. Chapter 19

The two could only stare down the shaft where their elevator fell threw. Chief naturally broke out of the trance and ready his shotgun.

"Let's move," Chief instructed as he loaded new shells into his shotgun. "A facility this size must have a more than one entrance." Ruby nodded wordlessly as she follows the Spartan.

Chief was beginning to worry about Ruby. Despite the training, Ruby has shown him and others this last week. She was still young, and he could think of nothing that could prepare her for something like this. This mission was over their heads.

The pair of continued their journey to escape this vile place, backtracking a couple rooms and fighting through increasing amounts of those mutated hostiles and the small creatures. By some stroke of luck, they arrived back at another lift.

The Chief and Twilight ran to the lift, activated it, and waited for them to go upwards, except they didn't. In fact, they descended at a remarkable speed.

"Chief! We're supposed to go up, not down!" Ruby shouted at the supersoldier.

"I can't read Forerunner script," Chief replied back, his tone neutral. Inwardly he was a little embarrassed.

They descended downwards into the dark. Fear slowly building up in their chests when they noticed the shaft was covered in grunt blood as they went down.

When they landed at the bottom, they found more hostiles awaited them. Ruby focused her attention on the little ones with her assault rifle while the Chief took care of the combat forms when they got close.

After fighting through the ambushing hostiles, they moved out into the next room.

It was here that Ruby saw a sight that she would never, ever want to see again. A single creature stood in the middle of the room, wildly moving towards them. What stopped her and the Chief from firing their weapons was the fact that it was a mutated human. In fact, they both recognized the face of what was once one of Sergeants Johnson's men.

The Chief lowered his shotgun. "Mendoza?" He shouted, trying to reason with potentially the humanity still within the once Marine, "come on, let's get you out of here. I know they did something to you, but the medics can fix it."

However, that humanity was long gone as Mendoza vaulted at the two of them, swinging its tentacle at them, aiming for Ruby's head.

Ruby burst in a cloud of rose petals away from the spot she was standing, just before the thing that was Mendoza slammed into that spot. Seeing its prey had getaway, it switched to face the Chief. Using its tentacle arm to strike him with superhuman strength, almost knocking him off his feet.

Circling around while firing her rifle at the same time, distracting the reanimated Marine enough for the Chief to aim his shotgun and fire two rounds point-blank. The 8-gage pellets slammed into the turned Marine's body into rotting meat chunks.

Ruby was panting as the adrenalin was flooding her body as she looked at the former Marien.

The young Huntress remembered this guy. He was on the lifeboat with them when they left the ship. Seeing a human being turned into one of these walk zombies was more horrible in person than in movies. Ruby was less inclined to watch horror movies from now on. Her thoughts were interrupted when Chief walked up beside her and found him feeding shells into his shotgun.

"You may want to reload any weapons you've used," he said as he pumped a round into the chamber, "These things seem to take a lot of punishment before they go down, the first time at least." He grumbled out the last words, making the redhead look at him.

"First time?" She asked.

"One of the ones in the first encounter played dead with me before trying to choke me to death," he clarified.

The two of them just stood there, their minds processing what they had just seen. Not only were the Captain and Johnson's squad most likely all dead, but they have been turned into those creatures, a fate that Ruby believed was worse than death.

They traveled to the next room to see more Covenant fighting against the Flood upon a ledge on the far side. Cheif signaled Ruby to hold fire as he guided them to the left where an open hatch was.

Ruby crouched along and sent a few glances at the firefight that the Covenant squad was losing soldiers to the Flood. But not before taking a few of the parasites with them. Whatever they were, Ruby must not let them reach Remnant, by any means, due to at least how horrifying they are. Her world was already terrible, as is with the Grimm. It doesn't need more horrors to add on top of them.

Ruby then thought of what would happen if a Flood infecting a Grimm like an Ursa. It was not a comforting thought.

Leaving the firefight behind them, the two travel in silence through the next few rooms. Sneaking past more Flood forms to avoid any fights. Ruby and Chief knew they could handle them, but this wasn't going to end well for them if they don't get out of here.

After successfully sneaking through the second room, Ruby heard rifle fire, and a bullet impacted on her shoulder guard. She turned around she felt more rounds impact on her chest plate, and the Chief's shields flare from being hit as well. The Culprit soon emerged from the shadows, an Infected Human, holding an Assault Rifle with a single hand. It continued to fire at the Chief, who fired back at the Combat Form. The Combat Form had its arm shot off first before finally succumbing to the Chief's and Ruby's volley of bullets. Their small victory didn't last as it now alerted the others in the room. Soon more Combat Forms armed with a variety of weapons, both human and Covenant alike turned to them.

Ruby felt her body got cold at the sight they were in. She found herself not only dodging rushing Combat and Infection Forms, but also the Combat Forms that fired their weapons at her. She kept using her semblance to rush side to side to avoid getting hit.

Fortunately, despite the number of enemies he had to face, the Chief seemingly sent out an unyielding volley of bullets. As he alternated between his shotgun, firing until it ran out of ammo, before switching to his assault rifle. When that happened, Ruby wordlessly stepped in and covered him. Destroying many inflected forms as they came near.

But it wasn't enough. As one jumped to close to the Chief and bashed him away, draining his shields till they were gone.

"Chief!" Ruby yelled in a worried tone. But was not paying attention to her surroundings as Infector form came from above with the intent to infect Ruby. The girl could do nothing as it landed on top of her and wraps its tentacles around her neck. This made her drop her assault rifle in surprise as she then tried desperately to pull the thing off her. Ruby felt adrenaline and panic set in as she felt the Infector squeeze her neck as it attempted to strangle her, her crimson aura flaring.

Chief saw this and felt fear and anger well up in him. Drawing his sidearm, he fired at the bulge in the Combat form that hit him before turning his gun with the aim with the intent of killing the Infector. But Ruby's position made the shot very difficult without harming the teen. But to the Chief and Ruby's surprise, the Infector suddenly jumped off Ruby by this but quickly shot the flood infection form as it tried to scurry away.

"Are you OK?" Chief asked the Huntress.

"Yeah, I'm fine it did nothing to me," Ruby huffed out as she waited for her adrenalin high to settle. While also ignoring how her chest wound from when the Zealot sliced her had flared up again.

Chief wasn't so easily convinced as he looked her over. Ruby had her hand over her chest and found her eyes darting to the side where the Flood infector had jumped her. She was going to suffer some nightmares in the future if he didn't get her mind off what happened.

"How do you move like that?" He asked her, making Ruby looked at him in confusion. He points to the pile of rose petals that were slowly disappearing. "I've seen you move really fast and leave a trail of rose petals of all things behind. You never explained how that happens?" He was genuinely curious about that, but if it helps calm her down, then all the better.

"Oh! I guess never went into that dd I?" She said.

"You told me bits about yourself and your family, not much else."

"So...you don't know what aura is ether?" Chief shook his head no.

"No. What is that?"

Ruby looked thoughtful, "Well, most people think of Aura as an 'extension of the soul,' much like how a common belief is that a weapon is an 'extension of the body'… I don't really understand the philosophy about it, but it's very useful. Just look at this."

Ruby pulled off one of her gloves she had on and drew out her combat knife. "Watch," She said, as she jabbed the blade down into her own hand.

Chief expected Ruby to cause a bloody mess with her hand but became fascinated when a shimmering red "aura" appear around where the tip of the blades impact point.

"That isn't the only thing it can do," Ruby continued, she carefully lowered the blade to her skin and gave a look of deep discomfort as she cut a small gash into her hand. Then a moment later, a field of red closed around the cut. Moments later, it started to fade, the skin stitching itself together and not even leaving a scar, the small cut taking nearly a minute to heal. Leaving no evidence of a wound was present in the first place. "The only thing I wish it could do is block out the pain completely, it still hurts when you get hit..."

Chief took a moment to process this before answering. "You possess a natural energy shield that also heals over time?"

Ruby put a finger to her chin in thought before answering. "If you want to think it like that, I guess. But unlike what you and the Covenant have, I can still feel everything that hits me. And If my aura brakes, I can get hurt just like everyone else."

"Like you when the Zealot kicked and sliced you back on the rescue mission."

Ruby winced at the memory but nodded. "Yeah...if I didn't have it, I'll probably be in worse shape, or...no longer here."

Chief nodded, "And you bursting into rose petals like magic?" Saying something like it was magic felt extremely weird for him to say.

Well," she began as she leaned up against a wall, "I guess magic might be one way of looking at semblances and aura. Everyone can have an aura, a little training, and you may stumble upon your semblance. Like how mine is speed."

"Looks like its more than that. There were a few times where your whole body turned into a storm of plant parts as shots seemed to go right through you." Chief saw Ruby do just that in the last fight.

This made Ruby think before answering, "I guess. I was still in combat school learning how to improve myself as both a fight and a leader."

Now, this caught John's attention. "There are schools dedicated to training kids in combat where you're from, and you were given a leadership position?"

Ruby smiled. "There are many schools on my world that help teaches people how to defend themselves. Remnant is dangerous outside the city walls. I went to Signal academy before heading to Beacon, one of the four great Huntsmen academies. I ended up impressing the Headmaster and got in two years early and was given leadership of my own team."

Ruby then pulled out her Scroll and went into its picture library, pulling up the one with her team and showing it to Chief.

John had to blink at the picture presented to him. On it was four teenage girls, he recognized the Ruby instantly on the far left. Wearing a black skirt and her signature cloke. Next to her was a girl with snow-white hair with bright blue eyes and a scar running over her left eye. She was also wearing an all-white skirt and had a sword, a reaper, hooked on her waist. Next to her was a girl with raven black hair and amber-colored eyes. She wore a mostly black outfit with what looked like a big cleaver with a ribbon on the handle, her most notable part of her outfit was the big black bow on her head. Lastly was a teen with strikingly long golden blond hair that nearly reached down to the girl's waist and unusual Lilac colored eyes. She wore a tan jacket that bares her midriff, with golden brown piping and short, puffy sleeves with black cuffs. She also had on a pair of big metal cuffs on her wrists and wore a big smile on her face. "This is your team?" He said in bewilderment.

"Yep...my partner Wiess. My sister's partner Blake and my older sister Yang." Ruby pointed out each of her teammates on the screen.

"Sister?" John asked as he looked between Ruby and the blond.

"I know what your thinking. It's because we're half-sisters, same dad different moms," she explained.

John took another look at the screen. "I have more questions to ask, but it's best saved them for when we're out of here," he said as he readied his shotgun.

"Right," said firmly as she readied her weapon before she stopped and smiled at the supersoldier. "Chief, thank you."

John just nodded before heading to the next room.

The pair entered the next room, where they heard the sounds of gunfire seemed to echo from nearby. The Chief, in a brief moment of weakness, let his hope rise and ran to the door where the shots were the loudest, opening it with his approach.

'Come on,' he thought as he traversed another corridor, with Ruby right behind him, her face determined. 'Please let there be Marines still alive.'

He was forced to slid to a halt as a door in the corridor's sidewall burst open, spawning out two dozen Infection Forms. He punched one with enough force that it popped five others from its own explosion. He destroyed the others with a single burst from his Assault rifle. Still, they had succeeded in distracting him for a few seconds, which could be the difference between life and death in battle. He hoped that he was wrong as he continued down the corridor.

That hope swiftly turned to despair and defeat as he exited through the hatch, and witnessed a lone Marine getting impaled by the tentacle arm of a Combat Form. Now seething with both anger and hatred, the Chief ran at the clustered group of monsters and tackled one to the ground. He then picked it up began using it as a shield when another combat form tried to shoot him with a plasma rifle, killing the one he held. He threw it to the side and, with the shotgun in one hand, fired a single round at extreme proximity to the combat form, the shot tore the combat form to shreds. He then turned to the rest, with an angry Ruby by his side.

Within a minute, the fight was over, with two very angry individuals triumphant over the forces of hell.

The Chief looked down at the body of the newly slain Marine and found that two other Marines were laying there as well. Both of them mutilated by either weapon fire or physical damage. His anger dilated itself, swiftly turning into sorrow as he stared at the young face of a man who had died fighting an enemy that was worse than the Covenant.

Chief knelt down to one Marine, and closed the young man's eyes and retrieved his tags while also doing the same to others. He then heard the sound of metal scraping the ground. He found Ruby dragging one body of the slain Marines over to the other and laying them down.

"What are you doing?" He asked her.

Ruby looked back at him. "On Remnant, we burn our dead. No room within the cities for grave yards." She pointed at the dead Marines before pulling out a plasma grenade. "These guys shouldn't have their bodies desecrated."

Chief didn't need to think twice about this and picked up the third dead Marine and sat him next to the other three. He took what ammo the three had before Ruby tossed the grenade, incinerating the bodies. He then saw the blip on his motion sensor, a blip that was fast and heading his way. He swiveled on the spot, raising his shotgun when he spotted an Infection Form attach itself onto the corpse of a nearby dead Elite.

The Infection form wrapped its tentacles around the neck of the corpse while bringing out what looked like pincers and embedded them in the chest, digging into the flesh within a matter of seconds. Then, the infection form began to deflate at a rapid pace and get sucked into the holes made by the pincers. Then, the corpse started screaming, even though it was dead and began to spasm, rolling side to side, limbs thrashing everywhere. The tumor started to form at a near-instantaneous rate where the infection form disappeared. The tumor grew out, encompassing most of the upper body as blood was sent spitting out of wounds and the mouth. However, it was quickly turning into the green fluid, and flesh burst like in intense heat. From the center of the tumor emerged the front tentacles of the Infection form. The neck elongated and stretched out, while tentacles burst out of the left arm in a very gruesome manner, bones cracking. The blue skin turned into a sickly yellow/green, and most features became heavily deformed. The screams morphed into growls as the corpse rose to its feet, turned to the horrified pair of the Chief and Ruby. It roared at them, the usual voice and tone of "worts" replaced by a bloodcurdling, demonic cry.

Ruby screamed back as she leveled and unleashed a furry of assault rounds into the monster. A moment later, Chief added his shotgun to the mix, turning the thing into shredded chunks of rotting meat.

The silence was deafening after Ruby ran out of bullets in her gun. But was soon broken when Ruby dubbed over and puked where she stood, all the while crying as she did.

When she was finished, she looked over at the Chief with a sad expression. "I'm ready to go home now."

Chief didn't say anything at first but waved his hand to follow him. "Let's move out," he said, raising his shotgun. "We shouldn't dwell on anything right now other than getting out of here. Save that for later."She did just that and reloaded her gun without another word. Ruby wanted this day to be over with.

They quickly walked to the nearest hatch, eyes alert for any movement. It opened with a hiss, revealing a dozen infection forms waiting for them. Even as Ruby screamed in surprise, the pod-shaped creatures leaped at the pair, only to be blown away by a single shotgun blast from the Chief.

"Well, I can safely say, I'm happy that if they're close to one other, they can pop each other," Ruby commented as they passed through the hatch. The corridor they entered was empty, except for the bodies of half a dozen Combat Forms littered around. Ruby felt a sense of relief as she noticed that all of the bodies were killed with bullets from human weapons and that there was no blood from any human staining the room.

Going through another hatch, the pair expected to enter another large room like the ones they had traversed through beforehand. But found, much to their delight, that it was instead a room with a lift. The bad news: It was full of Combat Forms and Infection Forms. As if they could sense the pair before they even entered the room. The creatures were rushing towards the hatch as it opened, intent on killing and claiming the humans.

The said humans were definitely opposed to this. Fighting with their rifles, shotguns, and grenades. The Chief was like an Alpha Beowolf in the middle of a flock of sheep. Ripping through his foes with his weapons like they were made out of paper. Ruby moved with the speed of a Sabyr. Flanking the Flood forms and preparing them with rifle rounds till they were no longer a threat. Within a minute, the room had been cleared, and the pair was free to step on the lift.

The Chief lifted his hand to activate the lift, and the lift moved upwards at a fast pace. The pair reloaded their weapons, expecting another firefight with the enemy when they arrived at an entrance of the Installation only to find a squad of living, uninfected Marines waiting for them. Not only that, but she heard Foehammer's voice over the radio.

"This is Echo 419. Chief, Ruby, is that you? I lost your signal when you disappeared inside the structure. What's going on down there? I'm tracking movement all over the place! Are you alright?" She asked, she was worried really she has grown close to Ruby over time.

Ruby decided to answer. "I... don't think so 419," Ruby reported.

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you," the Master Chief replied, his voice grim, "and believe me: You don't want to know. Be advised: Captain Keys is missing and is most likely KIA. Over."

"Roger that," the pilot replied. "I'm sorry to hear that, over."

Several of the Marines ran up to the two. "Thank God you're here," one of the Marines said, a Corporal, to the Chief in a frightened tone, his body practically shivering from fear. "We've been lost out here for hours. After we lost contact with the rest of the mission, we...we headed for the RV point, and these things, they ambushed us. We gotta get out of here!"

"That's command thinking," the Chief responded in an instant,  
"We still need to get out if here Marine, but... will most likely have to fight our way out," Chief said, and all the Marines nodded in understanding.

"There's a large tower a few hundred meters from your current position," Foehammer spoke out, hearing the conversation. "Find a way above the fog and foliage canopy, and I can move in to pick you up."

"OK, got it Echo 419. See you there." Ruby said to the pilot.

"Let's move out!" The Chief ordered the group.

Hearing this, Ruby got red as she followed the group outside back into the swamp. Never before the Huntresses' life did it feel good to be in the middle of the muck and rain.

Knowing the dropship was somewhere above the mist, and eager to get the hell out, the marines forged ahead. The Spartan advised caution to slow down, to keep their eye peeled, but it wasn't long before he found himself in the middle of the pack. Looking behind him, he saw Ruby taking the rear, her weapon sweeping the brush line for anything that may pop out.

The tower Foehammer had mentioned appeared up ahead. The base of the column was circular, with half-rounded supports that protruded from the sides. Farther up, extending out from the column itself, were winglike platforms. There purpose, like the rest of the structure, was unknown. The top was unseen with the mist.

The Master Chief paused to look around when one of the leathernecks shouted, "Contact!" This was quickly followed by the sound of fully automatic weapons fire. A host of red dots appeared on his motion tracker, spotted dozens of Infector forms bouncing in the mist, and knew the possibility of containing these things underground was out of the question.

Ruby fired short bursts of her assault rifle and popped dozens of Infector forms before firing on a Combat form as it charged at her. The ex-Elite's chest opened like a flower in Spring, and the Infector form inside blew up into a pussy mesh.

Not all of them were so lucky as one Marne got jumped and dragged into the fog, vanishing from sight.

They couldn't see what was happening, but Ruby could paint a horrible picture in her mind from all the screaming and the sounds of bone and flesh breaking. The screams turned into growls and the Marine, now a Combat form jumped out of the fog. It was then that Ruby decided that there was nothing scarier than encountering this enemy in a foggy, dark swamp.

Ruby would rather face down a Grimm pack with a dull kitchen knife than be here.

Despite all of their efforts, the enemy was too numerous, too quick. One by one, the group of survivors dwindled as its members. Were either killed outright or taken in the thick fog and were infected, their screams haunting the others.

Ruby saw one Infector form about to jump on one Marnie while he was trying to reload as quickly as he can. Ruby adjusted and shot the Infection form, killing it before it could touch the Marine.

"Thanks, kid." the Marine said gratefully as he finished the reload.

"No problem, now go!" Ruby yelled.

Just as hope was lost, the survivors only numbering five, Ruby saw something emerging from the treeline. It was a cylindrical metal contraption, with two appendages and a red light at the front, hovering in the air before swooping down to approach them. More soon joined it, and the sky was quickly filled with them.

A Marine raised his rifle at one of them, "What are they?" he yelled. The Chief stopped him, saying, "Hold on, Marine...let's see what they do."

"Huh? Oh, please tell me there on our side..." Ruby said, hoping.

To their surprise and relief, the machines fired a beam of light that burned away at any nearby parasites, avoiding Marines, her, and the Chief. They were on there side!

The survivors ran to the base of the tower and set themselves up a firing line and began mowing down enemies as quickly as they came.

"Thank you, robots!" Ruby yelled, waving at one of them. The one she waved at turned to her, then used one of its parts to waved back at her before leaving. "Man, they were nice."

"Foehammer! We've reached the tower; you can pick us up now!" Ruby said over he radio only to get static in return. "Foehammer?" Then to her surprise, the Chief suddenly disappeared in a golden light. "CHIEF!"

* * *

John suddenly finds himself enveloped in bright gold rings of light and found himself upon the top of one of the legs of the tower. He heard something start humming from behind him and turned his weapon on it.

He found himself face to face with another type of robot, this time, one that was similarly shaped like a sphere. It had a similar texture to the tower and the other robots they say before. It had a single eye that shone brightly, the 'iris' looking directly at the Chief. Like the other robots, it had no legs, but unlike them, it had no appendages and was simply hovering in front of him. It turned to look directly at the Chief. It then spoke in a cheery businesslike manner.

"Greetings, I am the Monitor of Installation 04. I am Three-Four-Three Guilty Spark." it introduced itself. "Also, I apologize for taking you away from the created being."

John slowly lowers his assault rifle. Gunfire is still heard below, and bright beams slice through the dark swamp. John and the Monitor ignore the commotion. But Chief wondered what the Monitor meant by "created being," was it referring to Ruby?

The robot then goes on. "But Someone has released the Flood. My function is to prevent it from leaving this Installation. But I require your assistance. Come. This way."

Before John could ask some questions about what the little machine meant by that, his words never came. Rings of gold light traveled the length of his body, he felt light-headed and saw an explosion of light.

* * *

She was not the only one who noticed Chief disappearance...the Marines noticed and Echo 419 we well."Chief, I've lost your signal! Where'd you go? Chief? Chief!"

"Where is he? We need to find him!" A marine yelled.

But they heard a roar as more Flood was coming. They needed to leave now!

"Foehammer! We're still down here, get us out of here!" A loud roar of engines came from above within seconds of the call. To the Marines, it was like a course of angels were sing from on high. "Everyone, run!" She yelled out. The Marines didn't need to be told twice as the six rushed towards the open troop bay. Turning back, Ruby saw several Combat forms rushing towards the open troop bay.

"We're in! GO! GO! GO!" Ruby ordered the pilot.

At the Pelican rose into the air, one combat form jumped up to and land in the troop bay. It soon ceases to exist three seconds later after four assault rifles and two shotguns tore into it. Their owners screaming like crazy till nothing remained of the abomination.

A minute later of flying, all were dead tired as the slumped against the nearest seats. Ruby, on the other hand, need some answers. She got right back up and entered the cockpit where Foehammer and her Copilot and Crew Chief were at.

The Crew Chief saw her first, his nameplate on his chest read CULLEN. "Is everyone alright back there?" He asked her.

Ruby shook her head. "I don't think any of us are going to be alright after what we saw down there," she answered. "But that's not why I'm here. It's where we're going next."

"We?" Foehammer asked as she turned her head back to the redhead. "And where in the galaxy is that, girl?"

"Take us back to the control room Foehammer...I need to talk to Cortana."

* * *

 **Note: Here's the next chapter! Also hope you like it and like the horror to it...also why 343 called Ruby the creation...that will be revealed later on.**

 **Also I like to thank** **Helljumper206 for helping me edit this.**


	20. Chapter 20

Ruby racked the bolt back of her assault rifle to check the inner workings. The guns' insides were some of the best she's ever seen and no doubt that it wouldn't jam even if it was packed with dirt or carbon. But cleaning her rifle was mainly a distraction from what happened hours before, something that a few of the Marines she saved have opted to do to. If only to pass the time and keep their minds off the living nightmare that is space zombies were real.

Echo419's Pelican was heading back to the control room. The pilot had radioed Alpha base about Chief disappearance and was on their way to the control room for Cortona for info. In return, they got multiple sightings of this new parasite that was spreading. She lets out a sigh then.

"Well...this job is gonna get interesting." The pilot said to herself as she takes back control of her bird from her co-pilot and checks her location. They were nearing the opening in the canyon to where the control room was at.

"Alright, people!" She said over the ship's intercom. "We're almost to our destination. Prepare to disembark!"

The Marines heard this and did any last-minute checks. They had changed out of their swamp covers and into cold-weather gear. Having been inform ahead of time of the snow and cold in this region of the ring.

Ruby entered the cockpit as they approached, clad in full body armor with an addition of a black bodysuit. She had her signature sniper rifle on her back as well as her pistol on her leg holster, and assault rifle hanging loosely to her side. She was ready to go, "Thank you, Foehammer, for taking me back here." She said with a smile.

Foehammer returned it. "Your welcome Rose, just find Cortona and find out just what the hell these things are."

"Will you be alright out here by yourselves?"

"Don't worry about us, little lady. We'll be fine," the co-pilot answered. "But be warned we need to head back to Alpha base soon for fuel. We've been flying for a good eight hours and will need to head back, or we will fall right out of the sky."

Ruby nodded. "Just stay safe. I wouldn't have anyone else fly me and around then you guys." She went and hugged Foehammer and doing the same with the co-pilot and the crew chief before leaving.

Foehammer watched as she left with a smile. "She really is a good kid."

"Damn, now we gotta come back. Otherwise, I'd feel like absolute shit if we left." The Co-pilot said when the door closed behind Ruby.

As Ruby rejoined the marines in the troop bay. She saw they were all ready to deploy. "Thanks, guys, for coming with me."  
"Hey, you save us back there. This is the least we can do," the Corporal that was with them said.

"If it means going back to fighting the Covent rather then undead space zombies. That's fine by me." A PFC said, getting nods or voices of agreement from everyone there.

One Marnie opened the troop bay doors, letting in the cold and snow. Ruby shivered at the initial contact but steeled herself and readied her sniper rifle. Looking out, they could see the pyramid below where the control center is at.

The six exited the Pelican and quickly secured the area. The dropship then hovered back up and flew away.

"Troops deployed," Foehammer said over the radio. "Stay safe down their Marines. Echo 419 remaining on station, Foehammer out."

"Roger that," The Corporal said before turning to Ruby. "Rose! You've been here before, you've got the point. Lead us where we need to go."

"Got it." Ruby moved forward with the Marines following behind. The team past several frozen corpses of dead Covanet along the way, all dead from human weapons fire. Likely from when the Master Chief went through here last time. The Control Room and Cortana location was just ahead.

Ruby spotted some covenant still alive over at the big doors, a team of Grunts and two Elites. One Elite was there at the control panel trying to break in. The firefight was quick as the team quickly dealt with the Grunts while Ruby and the Corporal took care of the Elites. Ruby ran up to the big doors before going over to the control panel. The Huntress looked over the thing and became slightly frustrated. "How does Chief do this?"

Ruby stuck her hand in the middle and pushed some kind of button on the screen. The panel lit up in several colors, and the doors opened, revealing a large, hangar-like space. Ruby and turn to the marines that stopped back at the entrance.

"You guys coming?" Ruby asked them.

"We'll secure the perimeter out here, kid. Keep an eye on things if anymore Covanet that show up." The Corporal of the Marines replied with a smirk which Ruby returned.

"Okay, be careful. Don't start any fights without me!" She said before she entered the complex, jogging in before stopping in front of another set of doors and pressing the switch.

She entered a vast room, where the actual walls were shaped like a sphere, except the top and bottom led to a hole that seemed to go on forever. The door led straight onto a large platform, its only connection to anything being the path to the door. Ruby could actually look down through the transparent glass/steel but then immediately regretted it, seeing as she could only see an endless abyss. What caught her eye next was the gigantic hologram of Halo slowly rotating around a circular walkway in the middle of the area. At the start of the circular walkway was a larger holographic panel than any of the ones Ruby had seen previously. Seeing the large holo board, Ruby instantly assume that was where Cortana was.

"Cortana? Cortana, are you here?" Cortana's avatar suddenly appeared over the panel, her color shifted from blue to red, then back again.

"Ruby? You're here, where's the Chief?" Cortana asked as she noticed the spartan is not with her right now.

Ruby shrugged. "I'm not sure he vanished when we were trying to escape," Ruby explained what she knew.

Cortana didn't need to think about this and dove through Halo's systems. After being in the Halo's core systems for nearly ten hours, she's had an idea of where everything was at. "Alright, I'll try finding him through his neural implants with Halo's system. Give me a minute to get this set up, and I'll find the caveman.

Ruby chuckled at the caveman comment and decided to start a conversation with the UNSC AI. "So, Cortana...how much do you know about the Flood? You got to know about them since you were in the Halo's systems for a while."

Cortana actually looked a little afraid to talk about them. When she got info on them, it actually scared her, but Ruby and the rest of humanity needed to know about them. "There's a lot of testing data on them that would make the average UNSC scientist blush. From what I can gather, there a race of parasites life forms with the capacity of assimilating any other organic matter. Then overriding said matter on a genetic level, turning them into them more of them."

"So... space Zombies then, only their real and much more nightmarish?" Ruby replied, giving her opinion on them.

"You can say that." Cortana agreed that it was a fitting thing to call the Flood.

Ruby thinks about this. She was judging whether or not to tell Cortana about the Flood Spore coming to contact on her but didn't when it had the chance. She decided to ask something else. "So, think we can use Halo on them?"

Cortana was calmer now, so she was not panicked when she talked to Chief. "Yeah...using halo would not be the best idea."

Ruby raised an eyebrow at that. "Why not?"

"Halo is a weapon, yes. But it is not the kind of weapon we should ever need." Cortana began as she turned to Ruby, who looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean? Can't we just direct at the enemy and shoot it?" Ruby asked innocently.

Cortona visibly put her hand to her face and mutter something in a small tone with her visible mouth covered. Ruby couldn't here but did catch the words 'daughter' and 'neanderthal' before the A.I. spoke again. "Okay, first off. Halo is nothing like a handheld firearm. You can't just point and shoot at a specific person and be done with it. It sends a pulse that kills and destroys everything organic in the galaxy, whether they be human or Covenant. We're all equal to food to the eyes of the Flood. And that's what Halo is designed to be, a weapon that kills us all to starve the Flood."

If one looked Ruby in the eyes, they would see fear. Halo, the weapon that they've been standing and fighting over, was not what they needed. Made to kill everything!? Just to beat these monsters? There dangerous she can tell but killing everyone just to stop them. This was maddening to think about, thinking something that held so much beauty could be so dangerous. Another thought that occurred made her wonder if the Covenant were aware of this?

"Oh my...that's...wow." Ruby said, putting a hand on her head. She needed time to take this all in.

Cortana wad about to ask if she will be ok; when she finally found Chief's signal. "Ah, there's the Chief," that seemed to lighten Ruby's mood. "And he's...oh crap..."

Hearing that ruby got a little worried. "What is it?"

"It seems Chief has been busy. He's in a structure on the called 'the Library.' It houses what is called the Index. It's what's essentially the firing key this giant death machine. From what I can gather here, he's been there for a few hours slowly inch towards it, knowing him he will get it." Cortana said.

When Cortana told her that the Huntress pretty much shouted. "What!? How'd is he there!?"

"It must have been the monitor of the ring." The UNSC A.I. said.

"Monitor? Is he one of those friendly floating laser-face robots that helped us fight the Flood?" Ruby asked.

Cortana shook her head no. "No, those are sentinels, the monitor looks like this." Cortana made a hologram image of him appear. "This is the Monitor. He goes by the destination, 343 Guilty Spark. He is also programmed to activate Halo if the Flood is ever freed from containment. He may not appear hostile to us like the Covenant, but he will do anything to activate Halo to stop the Flood from spreading."

Ruby looks at the sphere-shaped robot closely. Something told her that he's not an evil person, more like a guy doing his job, but he needs to be stopped regardless.

"Alright then, can you send me there somehow? I'll warn Chief about this when I reach him." Ruby was ready as she had her Sniper loaded ready.

"No, from what I got on his position, he'll have the Index soon, and the teleportation grid that Halo has isn't allowing me to teleport you near him. But, I got an idea, when the monitor comes hide as best you can." Cortana ordered.

Ruby was hesitant but sighed. "Fine... I hope whatever your plan you have will work for us." She said as she takes out one of her protein bars and eats one it. By the sound of things, the young Huntress wouldn't have time to prepare and looks around for a place to set up. She followed up by updating the Marine's outside of what's going on and expect a fight just in case. As for Cortana, she was waiting looked through more info on Halo and along with other mysteries the ring held.

* * *

 **Note:** **Well, hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I like to thank Helljumper206 for helping me edit.**


	21. Chapter 21

The Chief rematerialized back on the walkway, which seemed to float over the black abyss below: the Control Room. He saw the replica of Halo which arched above, the globe that floated at the center of the walkway, and the control panel where he had last seen Cortana. Was she still here?

He then saw his motion tracker pined a yellow friendly directly behind him. Turning around, he saw a welcomed familiar face.

343 Guilty Spark was still talking to him before he noticed the extra human in the room. "...which means that any organism of sufficient mass and cognitive capability is a potential vector and...creation?" The Monitor said in surprise to see Ruby.

"Chief!? You're here!" Ruby said excitedly before rushing up to give him a hug but stopped short at the sight of all the nasty green blood on him. "Ewww. After we finish this mission, you are so going to have clean your armor," she pointed.

The Master Chief felt relieved that Ruby was alright. He wouldn't admit it, but he was glad to have her company again. "Good to see you made out of the swamp, Ruby."

"I also see you made a new friend," Ruby said, looking at the Monitor. She was trying to be her usual self as her part of Cortana's plan.

Master Chief looks at her. "Ruby, this is 343 Guilty Spark."

The Monitor floated up to Ruby. "A pleasure to meet you." The Monitor said very politely to her.

"Nice to meet you too," Ruby replied, trying to be oblivious of Guilty Spark and that this is the first time she heard of him, and she was really convincing.

"This is splendid! It is good to be talking to a creation, it has been so long since I've seen one of your kind." Guilty Spark said.

That confused Ruby, Creation? What did this robot mean by that? Ruby was sure she was never built and was, in fact, born. She was not a machine and felt her squishy guts. The Huntress thought really hard of what did it mean by this.

As the two talked, the Master Chief looked back at the Control Panel and wounder about the whereabouts of a specific AI.

343 Guilty Spark hovered above his head. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing."

"Splendid. Shall we?"

The Spartan made his way forward. Ruby following behind them, she was tempted still to ask the Monitor why he called her a Created. It was something that she just couldn't put her mind through.

343 Guilty Spark hovered above the control panel and looked down on the humans who stood in front of him.

instructed Chief then. "Unfortunately, my usefulness to this particular endeavor has come to an end. Protocol does not allow units with my classification to perform a task as important as the reunification of the Index with the Core."

The Monitor zipped around to hover at the Master Chief's side. "That final step is reserved for you, Reclaimer."

"Why does he call you that and me a Created?" Ruby whispers to the Master Chief. The Spartan shrugged his shoulders at girls' questions.

Master Chief accepted the Index and looked at the panel in front of him. Ruby watched as he puts it into a slot on the console. Lights and holograms appear before them, and an electronic groan was heard. 343 Guilty Spark was confused now that was not supposed to happen. "Odd. That wasn't supposed to happen."

It was at this moment when Cortana reappeared as she suddenly towered over the panel, looking pissed.

"Oh, really!?" she said as she gestured, and the Monitor fell out of the air, hitting the platform with a clank. Meanwhile, Ruby took a step back and watched it all unfold. She felt a little bad for tricking Spark like this, but it was necessary.

The Spartan looked up at her. "Cortana-"

Cortana stood with her hands in her hips with an angry look as she spoke. "I've spent the last 12 hours cooped up in here, watching you toady about, helping that thing get set to slit our throats!"

Chief spoke then, trying to calm Cortana down. "Hold on now. He's a friend."

Cortana brought a hand up to her mouth in mock surprise. "Oh! I didn't realize. He's your pal, is he? Your chum?" Her tone then became angry." Do you have any idea that that bastard almost made you do?!"

"Yes," Chief replied patiently. "Activate Halo's defenses and destroy the Flood, which is why we brought the Index to the Control Center."

Ruby watched Cortana plucked the Index out of its slot and held it out in front of them, "You mean this?"

Seeing the UNSC AI have it Index seemed to reanimate The Monitor and was a little angry. "A construct in the Core? That is absolutely unacceptable!"

Cortana's eyes glowed as she bent forward, her mouth curled into a half sneer, "Sod off!"

343 Guilty Spark darted higher. "What impertinence! I shall purge you at once!"

"Don't you dare try anything you...Floating Robot thing!" Ruby said, aiming her sniper at it, friendly or not, no one threatens her friends.

Cortana glared at the robot. "You sure that's a good idea?" Cortana inquired before making the Index disappear into her hand. Ruby noticed that more data seemed to scroll on her surface.

343 Guilty Spark was getting more than angry right now as his eye turned red for a moment. It almost scared Ruby as she could tell this thing was pissed off far more than ever. "How... how... how dare you?! I'll-"

Cortana was not intimidated in the slightest. "Do what? I have the Index! You can just float and sputter!"

"Enough!" The Chief brings both hands up in the middle of them as if to stop a fight, then turns back to face Cortana he will try to reason with Cortana and Ruby. "The Flood is spreading. If we activate Halo's defenses, we can wipe them out."

"Chief...halo is very dangerous," Ruby pleaded.

Chief soon looks at her and then Cortana.

Cortana already explained it to Ruby, so she'll explain it to Chief. "You have no idea how this ring works, do you? Why the Forerunners built it? Halo doesn't kill Flood, it kills their food. Humans, Covenant, whatever. We're all equally edible! The only way to stop the Flood is to starve them to death. And that's exactly what Halo is designed to do. Wipe the galaxy clean of all sentient life. You don't believe me?" Cortana stated before pointing at 343 Guilty Spark. "Ask him!"

Chief hold over his MA5B tightens before turning to face the Monitor. "Is it true?"

343 Guilty Spark pauses as everyone in the room looks at him. Cortana glare and Ruby having a look that tells him she's not sure what she thinks of him he could not perceive what Chief reaction is because of his helmet.

"More or less," Spark said in a direct manner, contrasting to his previous tone of voice. "Technically, this installation's pulse has a maximum effective radius of twenty-five thousand light-years. But, once the others follow suit, this galaxy will be quite devoid of life, or at least any life with sufficient biomass to sustain the Flood." The machine then looks at the humans. "But you already knew that... I mean, how couldn't you?"

"What!? We didn't know that at all!" Ruby shouted to the machine.

Cortana glared at the little robot. "Left out that little detail, did he?"

"We followed outbreak containment procedure to the letter," Spark said as if trying to justify that what they've done means that they have to follow through to the end with this evil deed. "You were with me each step of the way, as we managed the process."

"Chief," Cortana interrupted, "I'm picking up movement—"

As Ruby and Chief hear that, Ruby's radio went off. "Rose! The Covenant are back, do you have Cortona? is the Chief with you?!" The Corporal said over the sound of gunfire.

Super Soldier and Huntress got their weapons ready for whatever the Monitor was sending after them.

"Why would you hesitate to do what you have already done?" 343 Guilty Spark droned on.

"We need to go," Cortana insisted. "Right now!"

A flock of Sentinels floated out from under the bridge and behind 343 Guilty Spark. Their beam weapons aimed menacingly on the Chief and Ruby.

"So...now the nice Robots are against us now?" Ruby whispered as she aims at the nearest sentinel.

"Last time, you asked me if it were my choice, would I do it? Having had considerable time to ponder your query, my answer has not changed."

John reached behind him, retrieved Cortana from the console, and put her chip into his helmet.

343 Guilty Spark: "There is no choice. We must activate the ring."

"Get. Us. Out. Of. Here," Cortana said through the radio.

"There is no other way." The Monitor said almost with sympathy in his voice as he turns to Chief." If you are unwilling to help, I will simply find another. Still, I must have the Index. Give your construct to me, or I will be forced to take her from you."

The Spartan looked up at Spark, and the machines arrayed in the air behind him. His assault weapon came up, ready to fire. "That's not going to happen."

343 Guilty Spark looks down for a second and sighs then almost sadly. "So be it. He looks to the Aggressors and gives them the order." Save his head dispose of the rest and the creation."

343 Guilty Spark teleports away then.

Ruby and the Chief slid to the side as several beams of heat burned through the air where they stood a moment ago. Ruby-red energy beams sizzled, and the smell of ozone filled the air as the Sentinels tried to circle the two humans. Chief readies his weapon along with Ruby as the sentinels closed in at the duo to get Cortana. Ruby fired her sniper rifle at one sentinel. The high-velocity round slammed into the Sentinels shields, overloading them in the process. A second shot finishing the robot off. The Spartan fired half the mag of his Assault Rifle at another Sentinel, managing to cause it to go in flames and crash to the platform.

Ruby focused more on the Sentinels trying to circle them while the Master Chief attempted to get the ones charging at them.

Between the Super Soldier and the Huntress, two dealt with them quickly. With only Chief getting hit mostly but his shields recharged soon after.

"Well... that could have gone better, you OK, Chief?" Ruby asked the spartan.

"I'm fine, Cortana?" The spartan replied.

"No problem with me," Cortana chirped, now no longer mad.

Now that he thought about it, she should have told Chief what Halo was before she started panicking and yelling at him before leaving to find Keys. Much of this stuff could have been avoided if she took five minutes to explain the situation.

Chief pushed those thoughts to the side. "Let's get out of here."

"There is just one thing I don't understand," Ruby says as the three walked.

"What's that?" Cortana asked through the speakers of Chief's armor.

"What did the Monitor mean by 'creation?' He called me that, and I'm wondering why. I'm pretty sure I was born and not built or anything. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure I would notice if I had an extension cord or plugin slot in me," Ruby said.

"I'm not sure really," Chief says a little confused as well. "I know why he called me Reclaimer, but why he called you a creation that's unknown to me."

"I think I might know. I was inside Halo's systems for a while and found lots of interesting stuff in Halo's data banks." Cortana says having an idea why the Monitor called her creation.

Ruby looks at Chief then. "Really? Can you tell me then?"

Cortana wanted to tell her, but they had other business that needs to be done. "We'll talk on that later, right now, we have bigger problems that need to be dealt with. We can't let the Monitor activate Halo. We have to stop him -we have to destroy Halo."

Chief heard Ruby gasp at this, but he ignored it, taking time to flex his stiff joints all across his body. "And how do we do that?"

"Have you seen how big this place is?" Ruby added in. "How are we supposed to that?"

Cortana was not surprised when Ruby asked this. "Let me continue: According to my analysis of the available data, I believe the best course of action is somewhat... risky."

Naturally/When hasn't been. Chief and Ruby thought together.

"An explosion of sufficient size will help destabilize the ring and will cut through a number of primary systems. We need to trigger a detonation on a large scale, however. A starship's fusion reactors going critical would do the job."

"But where are you going to find one of those?" Ruby asked. "I guess we could use one of the Covenant's ships, but I don't think they will like that."

"I agree, which is why I'm going to find out where the Pillar of Autumn went down. If the ship's fusion reactors are still relatively intact, we can use them to destroy Halo." Cortona finished.

"Is that all?" The Chief asked dryly. "Sounds like a walk in the park, by the way, it's nice to have you back."

"OK, then that will do...But what about the other UNSC forces on the ring? Will they make it out?" Ruby asked, concerned for the men that were stranded with them on Halo.

Cortana was silent, but Chief spoke. "Ruby...there's a chance that not all of us are going to make it," Chief answered as he begins to program the penal to open the door. "If we don't do this, the Flood will leave the ring once it gains enough intelligence to fly ships. Millions will die, and if the Monitor activates Halo, all life will die. Ruby, this is one of the harshest parts of war sometimes, you will half to make hard choices some that will haunt you forever."

As Chief said that Ruby looks down, deep in thought she let's out a sigh. She then wondered what the Marines that came with her will say about this. Along with that wondered why she feels like she saw this in a videogame before with someone making a hard choice with undead threat to save billions.

But as the door opened, she realized she did not half to worry about the Marines. As she spotted the burnt remains of five Marines on the other side, dead with the ground littered with shell casings. What was also there were covenant forces alive and dead with Sentinels overhead killing each other. That was when she even saw an Elite Ultra leading the Covenant troops.

Ruby clenched her sniper hard and gritted her teeth. She had enough of people dying around her. Quickly aiming and firing a shot, she hit an Elite minor that had its shields down, killing him.

That shot got most of there attention as the Ultra as it shot down another Sentinel. He looked and spotted more humans. One was the demon, and the other was the human girl in red. He remembers this one on from the Truth and Reconciliation, the one his Zealot superior fought. He believed she was dead, but the scar on her face said otherwise.

The Ultra roared commands in his native language, commanding them to take aim at the new threat. He brought his duel plasma rifles out and fired along with his other troops.

Chief handled the covenant forces and sentinels. Ruby runs at the Ultra high speed and tackles him, busting him upside the head with the simpers butt end. Ruby had fortunately hit with enough force to take out the Ultra's shields. An impressive feat by any means. Feeling a bit overconfident, she then tries to shoot him in the face with her sniper. But, the elite quickly activated one of his energy daggers in his wrist and sliced half the human sniper in half, making it useless.

"Come on!? You kidding me?! This is the third weapon I lost in three days!" Ruby yells as the Ultra kicks her off.

The Ultra gets back up and runs at Ruby with his energy dagger raised with the intent to stab her. Ruby turned into rose petals to avoid the attack, surprising the Ultra like most Elites as they not used to a trick like that.

Ultra looked around before his eyes went wide as something sharp and hot cut through him. He looks behind him to see Ruby wilding an energy sword with a smirk on her face.

"I took this off ya before you kicked me off you when you were distracted. Hope you won't mind if I keep this? After all, you guys took away my sweetheart and two sniper rifles, so I think that's fair." Ruby says as she pulls the energy sword put of the Ultra, Killing the last of the Zealot's guard that gave her her scar. The last of the Ultra's minions soon falls down dead by the Spartan and Huntress as they were leaderless.

Ruby puts away her new sword and walks over to the dead Marines. Sad thoughts fill her head at the sudden loss of the men she and Chief rescued not so long ago.

"Good job Ruby." Chief walks over to the teen. She looks at him and nods. He then looks at the dean Marines. "May they rest in peace." He says he and Ruby collected their dog tags and ammo. With the loss of another sniper rifle. Ruby recovered one of the dead Marines shotguns for her own use. Seeing the results against the Flood earlier, she may need its power soon.

They took what they needed and left for the big doors. Chief pressed the button for the door controls. Stepping back, they watched as the door's mechanisms groaned and faltered for a moment before the door opened to reveal the snow valley and the exterior of the pyramid they were inside.

A couple of Jackals were posted at the big door and were quickly dispatched by the 8-gage shells of Ruby and Chief's shotguns. As they got out, Cortana decided to update them on her plan.

"I haven't located the crash site yet. We need to buy some time, in case the Monitor or his Sentinels find a way to activate Halo's final weapon, without the Index. The machinery in these canyons are Halo's primary firing mechanisms. They consist of three phase pulse generators that amplify Halo's signal and allow it to fire deep into space. The power levels are enormous. I can't even begin to calculate the pulse's range. So, if we damage or destroy these generators, the Monitor will need to repair them before Halo can be used. That should buy us some time. I'm marking the location of the nearest pulse generator with a nav point. We need to move in and neutralize the device."

"OK then, let's do this!" Ruby said a little loudly. Then ducks in time before a needle rifle needle hits her in the head. Looking down the pyramid wall, they see more Covenant forces coming up, and they spotted a Wraith aiming its gun up at them from the bottom of the structure. "Oh, boy."

"Don't worry." Chief began. "We can handle this."

With that, the two quickly rushed forward into the fight. There was little time for plans as they were now on a race against the clock. They could only hope to stall the Monitor as long as possible and fallow along with Cortana's plan.

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 **Note: well, here's the next chapter I like to thank Helljumper206 for helping me edit.**

 **So what you all think?**


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